And So Shall Darkness Fall
by Aurorarose
Summary: Part one of a trilogy I may never finish at this rate (unless I get reviews ::winks::) with a cross between good old Ronin fights and fantasy.
1. Prologue - Meet the Enemy

And So Shall Darkness Fall ****

And So Shall Darkness Fall

By: Aurorarose13

****

Prologue—Meet the Enemy

All-consuming darkness throbbed heatedly with the deceptively silent and narrow passageway to the underground dungeon. It pulsed like a living entity, so velvety black as too hide the million evil secrets cluttering the castle walls. The pathway there was strewn with dangers of the supernatural kind, but she braved them anyway. She had a mission to complete. 

When she had reached the base of the stairs, the ruinous sorceress, cloaked from head to toe in nothing but seamless jet-black garments adorned with amethysts, narrowed her amazing lilac eyes meditatively, dividing her surrogate daughter—the midnight blackness—in half with incredible ease. In sweeping waves, the onyx curtain was drawn to the sides with fantastic embellishment; however, the revealed space lay intertwined with shimmering shadows, glossy like the wings of a raven. With a graceful flutter of her spidery hands, the slender, serpentine woman remedied this problem by weaving an elaborate-looking spell. Her icy voice—chilling and calculated and needle-sharp—pricked the air and tumbled fluidly over her ebony lips. "Accursed light, come unto me! I command thee, do my bidding! Illuminate my darkness with your wretched brilliance!"

Energy crackled and fizzled in an undulating ball in the sorceress' cupped hands, and she winced at its harsh radiance. Strained streams of unadulterated light pierced the golden sphere and looped wildly about the moldy, decaying prison. Demonic shadows writhed gleefully, as though they enjoyed the intense, twisting pain of light gnashed viciously with darkness. The grinning woman dropped her hands out from under the globe, and the ball remained mysteriously floating in the rancid, unmoving air. She bent her head down behind the ball, pouted her thick lips and blew lightly on it, pushing it further into the room. The shining sphere unfurled like a Persian carpet, spreading throughout the dungeon and lighting the extinct torches that lay dead for over a thousand years. 

Slumbering in the center of the room was _it_. The creature of the night. Metallic blood red with golden tips to each individual scale. Its low, tapered head was marked with the kind of predatory devilishness seen only in fantasy books and legends. Its long, bony wings were ideal for midnight flights over the once great Yusaki Dynasty whilst it searched for innocent prey upon which to feed—usually human. 

Suddenly, the crimson lid blinked open, and the creature's bronzed eye flecked with steel gray focused on the proud, terrifying figure of the black sorceress. "Lady Morin," the huge dragon belched, with reverence and fire resounding in its voice's depths, "it has been a long while."

"That it has. A good 5000 years, I should say," she acknowledged, her tone softening only slightly—enough to let the monster know she was glad to see it alive. With great effort, the behemoth lifted its misshapen head, and Lady Morin dared to run her fragile fingers delicately over the gently sloping bridge of the dragon's snout.

"Has it really been so long?" it huffed with amazement.

Morin nodded solemnly, her darkly purple hair cascading over her shoulders. "And it would have been longer, too, had Talpa not been overthrown before he could attain power."

Angry gray smoke abruptly escaped the seal of red lips over the chimney that was the dragon's mouth. A deep grumble trembled within the its great belly. "That armored bastard… Is there any bit left of him that I might shred and ingest with joy?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear Rantach," the sorceress informed, waving a ghostly white hand in front of her. A filmy projection appeared mystically before the two, and five young men in colored armor danced haltingly in frames. "Apparently these five human creatures had the ability to do what we could not; they obliterated Talpa and his Dynasty completely."

"Human creatures did that? Surely you jest, Lady Morin. Had I not despised them so greatly, perhaps I would be impressed, if this is the truth."

"How else would you explain all this?" she implored, motioning around the room. "Besides, Rantach, you know my sense of humor. I would never joke about Talpa's annihilation, not after what he did to us."

Rantach chuffed ferociously in agreement. "So what do you have planned for us, m'lady?"

The horrific gleam within the depths of Lady Morin's swirling eyes resurfaced, as if buried for a millennium. A delicious smile crept steadily up her darkly gorgeous face, settling in for the first time in ages. "First, we shall destroy these pitiful human creatures; they have served their purpose. Then, with those beasts exterminated, you and I shall once again establish the Yusaki Empire and throw Japan, then the world, into my magically beautiful darkness!" Rantach grinned a toothy grin in his dragon-like manner and roared anxiously. His sanguine body flared threateningly as he stood up. 

And then the torches blinked out dramatically on a strange wind. Lady Morin's magically beautiful darkness again reigned over all…


	2. Knights and Dragons

Chapter One—Knights and Dragons ****

Chapter One—Knights and Dragons

Ryo lengthened his torso languidly as he rose from his warm, beckoning bed. Rubbing his eyes and clearing his throat, he yawned before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and stepping onto the cold wooden floor. He adjusted the waistband on his boxer shorts and proceeded to do six stretches to loosen his sleepy body. He then walked into his kitchen to fix himself a light breakfast before his morning run with Cye and Mia. 

Casually, he flicked on the television, merely for background noise. There was little going on in the minute Toyama suburb of Wakki, so hardly any natural sound permeated the walls. Sometimes it could be so aggravating, but four years ago—after Talpa's defeat—that was all any of the Ronin Warriors longed for… peace and solitude. 

A swift knock at the door reverberated through the foyer. "Come in!" Ryo called out to the unknown visitor. The front door squeaked open, and Mia's soft voice chimed delicately. "Ready yet?"

"You know," he began, gathering his dishes from the table, "you ask me that every morning, and what's the answer—which never changes, I might add?" 

" 'Do chickens have lips?' I thought maybe, to be cute, you might surprise me for once."

"Not this week, honey. I'm going to be Mr. Nosurprise." Then, unexpectedly, he scooped Mia up in his arms, spun her several times and kissed her passionately. "Starting… now!"

She slapped him playfully on the arm, still blushing madly under her veil of brown hair. "I don't know why I put up with you."

"Because I'm a good kisser?"

"Sage is better. You should ask him for lessons." Ryo waved a fist at her in mock anger before pushing her out the front door. 

"Let me change into my jogging clothes, and I'll be with you in a second."

"Fine, just don't make it too long." And Mia blew Ryo a kiss.

He reluctantly turned away from her beautiful face to climb the stairs to his bedroom. Ryo couldn't be happier with his routine, though he often complained about it. Every morning the Ronin woke up when he felt like it, ate a filling breakfast, saw the woman he loved and then went for a swift jog through the town he adored. Of course, the best part of that whole pattern was seeing his Mia, though he always told her otherwise. And naturally, he never mentioned that to his buddies; they would only laugh at him, except for maybe Rowen. But he didn't want to rub in the fact that he had someone and Rowen didn't. The other four Ronins had someone to call their girl, but not poor Rowen. 

Even four years after the Dynasty's destruction, Rowen confessed Talpa wouldn't leave his blood or his mind. He was haunted unlike any of the other guys, which surprised everyone, especially Anubis. They thought if anyone would've been affected like this, it would have been Ryo. But they were wrong. Now Talpa's tarnished memory had completely faded from the others' minds, with the exception of Strata's. It embedded itself in Rowen's system and changed him, mutated him.

It was hard to describe. For most of the time, he was still the same Rowen Hashiba they all knew and loved, but on occasion he would swing into these dark moods—periods in his life where his eyes seemed to flicker red with fire and his soul suddenly blackened with hate. And from what Sage told Ryo, every night, in his neighboring bedroom, he could hear Rowen tossing in the grips of a horrific nightmare, where he would shout someone's name for hours, but Sage never learned whose name it was. Hunted by nightmares and plagued by memories, it was easy to see how he could be so tortured. 

Unfortunately, everyone could sense his building frustrations and anger, including the women. Rowen was dangerous goods, and it wasn't even the attractive type that lures some women; it was a fateful danger, one that couldn't be trusted above anything. Ryo wished Rowen could overcome whatever obstacle blocked him so he might finally find happiness. But that could never happen if Talpa reigned inside him.

Ryo decided to stop at his friends' apartment and pay the roommates a visit (although it was doubtful Rowen would be awake). Quickly, he stripped off his clothes and slipped in his comfy, old sweats. He raced down the stairs to find Mia tapping her foot impatiently like she always did. "Miss me?"

"Like a boil on my butt," she mumbled sarcastically.

"Lovely simile. You should write poetry."

"Careful, you might just get your wish." Ryo cringed visibly. Not that he thought Mia would make a particularly bad poet, but it was all part of the routine in the romantic games they played. "Let's go, Casanova."

Outside the sun hung limply in the sky, dangling just above the skyline of the distant Toyama. The last strands of the regular morning smog cloud drifted out, moving on to the next city like a scavenging wolf. Its opaque gray fangs sunk into every living thing as the beast encircled and strangled it. Then it smacked its lips as the next suburb was engulfed, bewildered and lost in its belly. Underneath the burning sky though, the grass grew green and the flowers flourished in a rainbow of colors. The early risers of Wakki, though friendly when they had the time to be, rushed hurriedly to their cars and sped off downtown, tearing up asphalt in their wakes. 

Ryo loved Wakki. It was the paragon of a quiet suburb, but it harbored a special flare on which the Ronins couldn't place a finger. There was something that drew all of the Ronin Warriors here after the war with evil. The charm perhaps? The peace? Or something else? "The latter," he thought to himself.

Mia took the lead and steered him into a neighboring park. Every so often she would turn around to check to make sure he was keeping up with her quickening pace, and upon finding him but a few steps behind, she would flash him an attractive grin. Shadows from the trees mottled her perfect complexion, writhing and contorting as she ran through them. Always beautiful—even when consumed by darkness. Ryo sighed dreamily, a thing he did not often do. But more and more he found himself doing so as he spent each morning with Mia. She brought that out in him. And he liked it.

When they reached the edge of the park, Mia turned right and Ryo shouted out to her. "This way today, Mia! I wanna stop by Sage and Rowen's place for a change!"

Catching up to him now, she slowed her strides until they were almost in step with his. "How is Rowen anyway? I haven't seen him in almost two weeks, I think."

"He hasn't been out much lately, I'm afraid. I think I've only seen him twice this week compared to the other Ronins whom I've seen everyday."

"He's dealing that poorly, huh?"

Ryo nodded solemnly, focusing on the blurred ground moving beneath his feet. "Rowen doesn't understand what's happening to him, and you know how he hates not understanding something. It has to be as maddening as Chinese water torture for him."

"So what _is_ wrong with him?"

"I wish I knew. Everyone else does, too. Unfortunately for Rowen, he's the only one who can figure out this problem. Only he can interpret his feelings in their true forms." Ryo wished all that he said was not true—for Rowen's sake—but it was. 

"There's nothing we can do for him?"

Ryo looked up at his girlfriend's startled face streaked with the lines of sadness and helplessness and frowned. How could he speak the truth? How could he tell her no? So he lied. "Yes, there is. We can be his friends." 

@~~`~~~

As Sage sat down to his hot tofu soup breakfast shortly before ten o'clock, there was a rap on his front door. Slightly groggy and still reveling in that wonderful warm feeling one gets when one wakes up, he shuffled over to it and opened it slowly to reveal Ryo and Mia. "Out on your morning jog, I see. Well, don't just stand there! Come on in." They smiled warmly in unison, slipping their shoes off and donning the offered slippers by the door. "So what brings you two to this end of Wakki? I thought your usual route ran you passed Cye's place then looped back around?"

Ryo settled easily into the crinkly leather couch, his weight squeaking the taut fabric. "Normally it does, and we probably should have told Cye we were coming here first, but I guess I really didn't think about that. Oops!"

Mia nudged him gently toward the phone with her shoulder. "Obviously we only have one genius in our midst. Speaking of Rowen…"

"Oh," Sage gasped as though he had just remembered he had a roommate, "he's still asleep, though I didn't think you'd really expect him to be up now. Last couple of days he's been sleeping a lot later than usual. I think it has something to do with the fact he can't fall asleep until around three in the morning every day. He gets into his bed at ten—no later—and lays there for hours on end, wide-awake. Says he can't close his eyes for fear."

"For fear of what?" Mia prodded gently, glancing over at Ryo to see that, even though he was on the phone, he was listening.

"For fear is all he ever says."

"Creepy."

"Just a little," Ryo mumbled to them, covering the phone's mouthpiece with his hand. "What? No, Cye, I wasn't talking to you…"

"When can we expect him up?"

Sage shook his head sorrowfully. "When I said he's been sleeping in later than usual, I meant more like two in the afternoon."

"Oh my! Maybe if you woke him up earlier, then he'd go to bed earlier."

"Nope. Tried it. Only makes him sleepier the next day because he loses what few hours he accumulates."

"Sure it's okay?" Ryo asked, winding up his phone conversation. "Good. Sorry about not calling… Thanks, we'll see you soon. Talk to you later, Cye… Yeah, tomorrow sounds great. Um-hm. Bye." With that, he hung up and returned his attentive eyes to the other two. "How about you and Rowen come over to my house tomorrow along with Cye and Kento and the Warlords? It might be good for him to get back into the swing of things with the rest of us."

Sage nodded in agreement. "I'll run it by him when he finally wakes up. In the meantime, can I get you two anything? Tea or coffee or something?"

"No thanks, buddy. We have to get to finishing up our jog. Otherwise we'll end up looking like Kento."

The blonde winced. "Now that was a low blow."

"I know, but I just can't help myself."

Mia leaned over to Sage's ear and whispered loud enough so Ryo could hear. "Sometimes I wish he would!"

"Quiet, woman, or it's back to the kitchen for you!"

Muttering to herself as she made her way to the door, Mia put her tennis shoes back on. "I hate men."

Sage and Ryo exchanged humored glances before Ryo got up and replaced the slippers with his regular shoes. "Give me a call later on today and tell me if he feels up to it."

"I will."

"Give Rowen our best wishes," Mia ordered politely, lacing up her shoes before jogging out the door with a careless wave. 

"Later, Sage," Ryo nodded, closing the portal behind him. And the blonde bid them a nice day as he turned back to his now cold breakfast.

@~~`~~~

Rowen awoke cold and shaking, bathed in a thick, icy sweat, with his breathing staggered in unusual gasps. "Dammit," he cursed quietly to an empty room. It was the same dream—no—nightmare he'd had every single night for the last four years. Once he realized he was clutching his sheets desperately in his clenched fists, sheepishly he loosened his grip on them and smoothed them out around his upright figure. Rowen sat as straight as his arrows, his body reeling from the amazing fear of his reoccurring dream. But as often as he had this dream, the same fear was remained—fear of the unknown, fear of the unseen.

Night after night it was the same scene as the one before. 

Rowen is dressed in his Strata armor, scanning the mountain setting for a way of escape from whom or what he does not know. Each untamed path cuts dangerously up or down the stony slopes of ancient behemoths, and each only grows narrower as it transgresses through the raw wilderness. Suddenly, he begins to run, uncaring of where the trail may lead him. Whether it be to savior or death, it's better than what is behind him. He must get away; that is all that matters. The ground beneath his speeding feet trembles furiously, and unbelievably, he can _feel_ the vibrations penetrating his bones. He must get away. 

He runs faster, dragging his partner behind him. Urgently, Rowen tugs on the hand he is holding, bringing his companion to his side. He looks instinctually to his left to assure himself she's okay, but he can no longer see her face—or almost any of her, for that matter. Only the few ravaged remains of her tattered, mutilated black and purple gown and her naked arms and feet can be seen. Her white skin is slick with sticky blood. Wounds gouged in the tender flesh of her shoulder, pulsing blood rhythmically with the thudding beat of her heart, continuously apply fresh, bright paint—the color of war—to her delicate arm. The hot red liquid runs onto Rowen's own hand, greasing his armor's joints with a revolting oil. As they race away from their hidden enemy, Rowen glances down at his legs and sees they are splattered with minute droplets of blood, not from him but from her, also. Wherever she came from, she obviously never needed shoes there, for she wears none. The meat of her bare feet slices easily on the shards of razor-edged rocks, and the resulting blood splashes onto his shin guards as she plunges forward to keep up with him. 

__

It still chases them. _It_ is persistent. _It_ wants to taste their blood on _its_ lips. _It_ is gaining on them. No matter how fast Rowen runs, _it_ always catches up, but he is too afraid to turn around and see what _it_ looks like. And that's the way _it_ wants it. _It_ does not want him to see _it_ yet, not until _it_ grasps Rowen in _its_ slobbering jaws and pierces his skin with the million teeth Rowen is sure _it_ has lining _its_ mouth.

They run faster. 

Abruptly, the twisting trail ends, and they stand wavering precariously on the edge of a natural stone terrace, reaching over the wide valley with its granite arms. There is nowhere left to run. They have come to the end of the world and can go no further. But _it_ can and will come. _It_ will be there shortly, and they cannot escape _it_ or allude _it_ any longer.

Rowen turns toward the shaking girl. She is weak from a long sleep and the daunting chase. Her hands quiver in his grasp and she whines pitifully—like a hunted, dying animal. Her white skin pales even further as she looks up the trail they had just came from and sees _it_ lumbering down to them. Rowen can't look. He merely calls the woman's name, with such tenderness that it sounds as though she is a divinity. Then he grabs her by the shoulders, clutches her to his chest and leaps over the side of the cliff, sailing downward with alarming speed. 

And _it_ stands there dumbfounded, looking on helplessly as _its_ prey disappears into the canyon. _It_ roars with incredible intensity, and the mountains answer back with the same cry. _It_ disappears. Rowen never sees the creature.

That's the moment Rowen awakens, terrified as never before, never knowing what became of the woman he was with or himself. 

Rowen closed his eyes and could still picture the blood. So much of it. Everything remained so clear, even after the dream ended. The smells were the same; the sights were, too. And of course, the mood lingered for hours. Worst of all, the cycle was unending, and he couldn't tell his friends about it. How could they come to understand? They surely would think him crazy. What other choice, then, did he have but to keep everything inside him? So that was it. No one would ever know about the woman whose name he could never remember and the creature that hunted him with such persistence.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the Ronin clambered out of his bed onto his unstable feet. He swayed for a moment, then balanced himself using his bedside table as an extra leg. That nightmare always left him a little woozy. 

Rowen stumbled over to his bedroom door, his eyes blurry with the remainders of a fitful sleep. The world around him was cloudy, the sun barely lighting the room through his shuttered windows. Objects stayed featureless, blackened shapes. Rowen had a hard time discerning between the wall and the door. Everything within the place seemed uniform, unbearably similar. When at last his clammy palm came to rest upon the dull brass knob, Rowen practically yanked the door off of its hinges, trying to escape his banal room as quickly as possible.

To his surprise, Sage stood outside his room, staring on at him with bewildered eyes. "Morning?" he inquired, rather than greeted.

"Uh, yeah," Strata mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "How're… things?"

"Fine. With you?"

"Fine."

"Great. Um, Ryo and Mia stopped by earlier today and asked about you. I wasn't sure what to say, so I said you were doing okay. So then they asked if you and I wanted to come over to Ryo's place for dinner tomorrow evening. All the other guys will probably be there, too. What do you say?"

Rowen swallowed the lump in his throat. The conversation was moving in a less than desirable direction for him, not to mention he felt as though he was talking to a perfect stranger instead of to his best friend. For heaven's sake, Sage was practically begging him like some street urchin. "I guess. What time did he expect us over?"

"I don't believe he set a regimented time, but I assume he meant around 4:30-5ish. So, you think you're up for it then?"

He shrugged sleepily. "I guess, but it'll be more like lunch to me."

Sage walked with Rowen into their kitchen and seated himself next to his buddy. He watched detachedly as his former best friend poured a bowl of soup and ate slowly. "How'd you sleep last night?"

"Same way I always do, which is on my back."

"You were never the one to make jokes, and now you're Mr. Funny? You know what I mean."

"Yes, I know what you mean; however, I don't want to talk about it."

"You had that dream again, didn't you? About that girl?"

Startled, Rowen averted his buddy's eyes. "I don't know what dream you're talking about. I don't dream. Ryo is the one that usually does."

"I see," Sage muttered, "along with the comedian comes the smartass."

"Precisely, oh wise one," Rowen smiled, spooning another slurp of soup into his mouth and smacking his lips with emphasis. 

Although his purpose was to interrogate his friend, he couldn't help but smile at his feistiness. Sage loved a challenge. He was going to enjoy wrangling the truth out of Rowen even if it meant physically wrangling. "Okay, buddy, here's the deal. You're going to tell me what the hell you've been dreaming about for the past four years or else I'm going to choke it out, clear?"

"Empty threats, me boy, empty threats."

"I'll give you an empty threat!" Sage lunged across the table to knock the spoon out of Rowen's hand. Chunks of tofu flew across the room, milky broth splattering on the floor. The blonde grabbed Strata's wrist, wrenching it almost cruelly in order to get him to submit. When he refused—an ebony gleam of madness in the whites of Rowen's eyes—Sage squeezed a little harder. "Come on, Rowen. Just tell me what I need to know and be done with it."  


"What do you care what I dream about anyway? Why should it make a difference to you? You don't have to endure the nightmare, so why bother with it at all?"

"Because," he shouted, releasing the wrist, "it's affecting you, my best friend. And if I don't know what the root of the problem is, how can I help?"

"There is no problem," Rowen whispered, turning away from his roommate. 

"Bull. You know as well as I that you've changed. Everyday I see it more and more, and so do the rest of the guys. You're suffering, and you don't want us to know it, which makes us notice it even more." 

"Fine, you want to know the gory details? About the woman and the blood and the unseen monster? That's what you want to hear about? So be it," Rowen's voice flared, his fist clenching tightly. "But don't say I didn't try to keep you out of this mess…"

@~~`~~~

The dragon growled menacingly at the snow-capped mountains. They were bigger than he was, and he didn't like things that were bigger than he was. Being exceptionally large gave him an advantage over everything, over anyone. There was nothing he liked better than towering over a helpless human before devouring him in his dripping mandibles. It gave him such a rush of power and importance. Nothing and no one intimated him… except Lady Morin.

She was dark and mysterious, with a secret agenda about which even he did not know. She was the one human he dared not mess with—even though she was only a half-breed (half-human, half not). What that "not" part was exactly, he felt he didn't need to know. Lady Morin ruled over the execution of the Yusaki operation, and he must not question her orders at _any_ cost. 

And he never did, which was why he now roamed the mountains in search of the Ancient One called Anubis. According to the Lady's most reliable sources, the monk dwelled in a hidden cave at the peak of one of the mountains. It was Rantach's job to sniff him out and gobble him up before he might receive a vision of their coming.

Gray, starving clouds sopped up all moisture in the air as they consumed the sky above the land. Rantach wished he could soar through them now, letting their wispy fingers tickle his scaled belly. But alas, the Lady's orders must be carried out first, lest she fly into a fit of rage and rip him apart with her most painful spell. How he longed to stretch his wings and take to the empyrean like in those eras long forgotten. To touch the stars was to touch perfection. No one could understand this better than a dragon that had been in captivity for five thousand years. 

The raw scent of human life filled the beast's sensitive nostrils, hot and lively enough to make his blood run rampant through his veins. His breath increased to an alarming rate as his heart raced with primitive hunger and fury. Since he viewed himself as a sophisticated dragon, Rantach would stifle those urges, but this time Lady Morin encouraged his deepest animal lusts to emerge from beneath his mental block of superiority. So now, in short, he wanted to kill… savagely.

The Earth trembled meekly underneath his thundering claws as Rantach sped across the mountain range, following the faint scent of terrestrial life. Flowers and grasses alike whimpered in fear at the oncoming monstrosity, and even the mighty hills shook with terror. 

Rantach began to pump his wings furiously, desiring very much to fly right to the man of this peculiar, alluring smell. Such strength and power in an odor. Why, to be capable of leaving a trace like this, he must be made entirely of unadulterated energy! To eat this man would be a rare treat. Strength of this caliber was next to impossible to find. How could it be in a weak, fearful human?

His glossy sanguine body rippled under the faint rays of the sun. Every scarlet scale was alight with rage and desire. The animal within took complete control over the reasoning mind, leading him to an unknown destination. Rantach had never felt such domination. Everything in the area feared him! He was omnipotent. Nothing could stop him. This man of incredible energy—this Anubis—would be his before the burning sun set.

And the mountains cried out…

And Kento of Hardrock heard…


	3. The Call to Action

Chapter Two—The Call to Action ****

Chapter Two—The Call to Action

"All right, if you insist. But I warn you, you're not getting much of a masterpiece from me this time. You didn't give me enough advanced warning… Why, of course it takes days of careful planning… No! One day is not enough; I don't care what you say… So if a plate of no-bake brownies is what you get, you're gonna eat it… Hah, hah, Ryo; I never would eat something that wasn't baked properly… … … Okay, enough with the jokes. There are some things I just won't eat… And stop laughing already!" 

Kento hung up his kitchen phone, scowling deeply at the receiver as if Ryo could see him. Would they ever stop teasing him? He sighed, his frown melting into pursed lips.

Okay, so he was a little on the chunky side, and he had a tendency to say too much at the wrong time, and he was forever impetuous when it came to battle, but Kento had two things the other Ronins didn't. He had a hard head—which, despite how it sounded, was a good thing—and strong hands. With his thick cranium, Kento could take blows that none of the other guys could, not to mention he could head-butt anyone unconscious. And with his strong hands he could crush rocks or necks, whichever needed crushing. And nobody dared make fun of Kento of Hardrock when he needed a barrier removed. 

Kento started to remove the desired ingredients for his famous "Egg and Dumpling Dinner" when he realized that he didn't have any of the snake eggs that he needed for the recipe. Before heading to the Toyama market, he made sure he had the rest of the necessaries for the meal, and upon creating a short list, Kento grabbed his wallet to leave. 

As the warrior headed out the door toward his jeep in his driveway, Kento felt a sudden tickle in the back of his neck. It was both unfamiliar and unwelcome. Something about it was, well… not right. In his mind Kento heard what, at first, sounded like a baying wolf in the distance, but slowly turned into an H-bomb explosion between his ears.

Crumpling to the floor in severe agony, Kento dragged himself over to the phone. He propped himself up on the counter, and as he reached for the receiver, he was struck down yet again with another wave of pain. The kitchen flashed from black to white every other second. Dizziness and nausea filled his insides. Everything hurt. 

Using all the remaining strength he had, the Ronin stood on his quavering feet and grabbed the phone tightly in his fist. He punched several numbers blindly, hoping for the love of God to get them right. His efforts were rewarded when he heard the familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Hello?" Cye spat out tersely, irritation in his tone.

"Cah… Cye? Help—huhh huhh—me…" Kento barely held the phone in his supposedly powerful hands.

"Kento, buddy, what's wrong?" a now frightened Cye demanded.

"Something's… not right…" With those final words, Kento passed out from the pain, collapsing in an immense heap on the floor.

@~~`~~~

So they met a lot sooner than any of them expected. 

All five Ronins, their respective girlfriends (with the exception of poor Rowen's since he didn't have one), as well as the Warlords, Anubis and Kayura gathered in the Fuan household's living room. Everyone huddled over the murmuring Kento slumping on the couch, concern lighting each person's irises.

"What's wrong with him?" Leyte queried in a trembling voice as she cuddled her boyfriend's head close to her. "Please tell me how I can help him."

Kayura didn't know how to answer the fearful girl. She couldn't very well tell her the truth, for she was not ready to believe and neither were her other girlfriends. The blue-haired woman turned to her invisible companion, Anubis, and stared at him with questioning eyes. He shrugged his shoulders and left the explaining entirely up to her. "Mr. Fuan here appears to be suffering from, uh… post-traumatic stress disorder," the Lady illuminated, straining to sound like an intelligent doctor.

"Excuse me? I don't understand. What trauma happened to him to make him this way?"

"Yeah?" Linie pondered, hugging Cye's arm for comfort. "He seemed fine just yesterday."

"Well, uh, you see, ladies…" _Help me out here, Anubis! I'm drowning!_ Kayura ordered telepathically to the smiling monk. When he gave her no answer, she continued, "A past situation that Kento did not deal with sufficiently must have reinstated itself in the present so he could finally cope with it. But my guess is, in this case, Kento did not have time to recognize this stressor, and the power of his emotions overtook his body, exhausting him to the point you see now." Pleased with herself, "Dr." Kayura placed her hands triumphantly on her hips. The others looked at the new Ancient completely stunned. 

"Is that right, Dr. Kayura?" Ryo asked with a raised eyebrow.

Anubis chuckled, forcing Kayura to frown at him. "Absolutely, Mr. Sanada. 

"Now, everyone, if you would be so kind as to clear Mr. Fuan's house, I would like to have brief chat with him first, then I shall put him to bed. Miss Leyte was it? I'll call you in the morning with a full report on his condition. For now would you please leave with the others?" Leyte stood to protest, but instead followed the doctor's orders. She kissed her boyfriend lightly on the head before gathering her stuff to leave.

She turned back around to find the seven guys still lounging on the furniture. "Dr. Kayura means you guys, too," Hime clucked, tapping a naked foot on the floor.

Sage blushed with embarrassment. His girlfriend could always do that to him. "Sorry, guys."

"It's always Sage's girls that make the trouble," Rowen muttered playfully, a profound knowledge of his best friend's dates stemming from their close living quarters.

"Not true!" Sage protested, but getting up from the sofa all the same on Hime's direct order.

Cye remained seated. "I'm going to stay just a little longer and help Dr. Kayura move Kento into his room. You guys can go on ahead. I'll talk with you later." He kissed Linie on the cheek quickly and scooted her out the door with an impatient hand.

The Warlords looked quizzically at him. "Then we shall stay, too," Sehkmet announced. 

"Oh, no you won't!" Hime exclaimed, grabbing the hulking man by the wrist and dragging him toward the door with the others. "Kento needs his rest, not four big, scary guys looming over him. The doctor needs one guy and one guy alone to assist her—and that's Cye. You're leaving." Sehkmet could not believe this mortal woman's audacity. Obviously, she didn't know of his past, though the staid look on her face gave the impression that she wouldn't care anyway. Sage could sure pick a winner!

His fellow Warlords chuckled, but Hime quickly shot them a glance that told them to shut-up and follow her orders, as well. They complied, still sniggering about the way she spoke to Sehkmet. "Way to take charge," jested Dais as they made their way out the door. Dais shoved him into the back of Hime jokingly, and she turned around, scrunched her eyebrows and wagged a threatening finger in the pair's faces. Immediately, both stopped laughing, following the train of people in perfect alignment.

"Take good care of our Kento," Hime whispered as she closed the front door.

Kayura nodded, adding, "It will be done."

The second the door closed, Anubis revealed himself. "Thank goodness. I thought she'd never leave!"

"Oh, be quiet, Anubis," Cye scolded. "Hime's a nice girl, really she is. Very strong and secure with herself. She's just, well, a little on the brash side."

Anubis shrugged, floating over to Kento's side. "Shall we move him to his room now?"

"I don't know. Let's ask the 'doctor…'" the Ronin teased, grinning at Lady Kayura.

"Just wipe that smile off your face, you insolent brat. I've got real work to do." The youthful beauty waved her graceful hand, and a golden staff magically appeared. She raised it above her head, uttered an inaudible chant and waited for results. 

Slowly, Kento's eyes opened, the pain vanishing from his face. He licked his lips as he pronounced, "I'm hungry. Need… food…"

"Here we go," mumbled Anubis.

"Kento? How do you feel?" Kayura asked, worry in her tone.

He jumped to his feet, patting his round stomach. "Like I said: hungry. No, I take that back. Famished. Excuse me." And the boy sprinted into the kitchen. The clatter of pots and pans emanated from the adjacent room as Kento prepared a fast meal. "Be right out!" Seconds later he emerged, his eyes salivating at the feast of a dozen items on his plate.

"Kento," Kayura beckoned, interrupting his meal. "Can you take a break to talk to me for a minute? I have some very important questions to ask you."

"I suppose," he choked through a mouthful of food. He swallowed and said, "Go ahead."

"First of all, I need you to tell me exactly what happened before you passed out."

Kento inhaled the rest of his plate before even thinking about what happened. As he wiped his face, he observed the three people—well, two people and one spirit—around him. They appeared gravely concerned about his welfare, and it felt good to know they cared so much. "Well, I was fixing the dinner Ryo requested I prepare for tomorrow night, when I realized I was out of a couple ingredients. 

"I was making my way to the front door, feeling fine and dandy—if not a little angry about the short notice—and then it hit me.

"It felt like a freight train collided with my body, throwing me hundreds of feet into a solid brick wall. I could barely move, but somehow I gathered enough strength to reach to phone and call Cye. By the time he picked up, everything inside me had started to tingle then throb nastily. My limbs felt like they were on fire, and I heard these voices in my head."

"What kind of voices? What did they sound like?" Anubis inquired hastily.

"Oh, I don't know. They were screaming for salvation, for me to help them. It was weird. They didn't sound human; there was rocky inflection, you know? Real deep and hollow. Like an echo in the mountains, I suppose."

Kayura seemed perplexed. "An echo in the mountains? Who do you think these voices belong to, Anubis?"

The ghost scratched his chin as he worked his lips together. "Can you describe them any further, Kento of Hardrock? Did you hear what they were saying?"

"I guess… yeah, I'm sure at least one voice said, 'She's returned.' And I think, but I'm not as sure, that another one said, 'We shall crumble without you.' Mind you, that could be my own ego speaking though."

"Thanks for the warning, Kento," Cye laughed, glad to see his best friend was all right.

"That's really not much to go on," Kayura commented, facing Anubis. 

"That's really all you're going to get," Kento informed, staring deeply at the Lady.

"Very well," Anubis said. "Can you at least tell me one other thing? Did you feel compelled to go somewhere, be anywhere, the moment you first felt the pain?"

The orange Ronin chewed his lip in thought. "Well, not at first. But when Lady Kayura revived me, I did feel the need to go to the mountains. Strange, huh? It was almost like _they_ were calling me, not a normal human." Kento snorted at the thought, shoving a piece of gum in his mouth.

Instantly Anubis vanished without so much as a word of goodbye. "So what do— Anubis? My God," muttered Kayura, hanging her head in exhaustion, "I hate spirits."

@~~`~~~

"Damn!" the dark sorceress cursed into the blackness she coveted. "Damn! Damn! Damn! How did he do it? How did he manage to fool me?" Lady Morin was furious. She stampeded wildly around the room, blasting things with spheres of energy and shattering the silence. 

No one fooled Lady Morin, Supreme Sorceress across every eon, no one. She was perfection, unstoppable, unimaginable. She had secrets even she did not know. Her incredible magical abilities and intense knowledge of evil made her a goddess above the innocent. Lady Morin could not be deceived. 

And yet, this… Anubis had done the impossible. He had managed to pull the wool over the fair Lady's eyes long enough so he could figure out Rantach's and her existences and report them to his faithful disciples. Curses! How? How? How? It was UNTHINKABLE! The raging sorceress formed a writhing energy ball between the ebony talons on her fingers, launching it cruelly against the wall the very moment of its completion.

He faked the humanoid life force trail using sophisticated magic, led her disciple down the false trail to a false lair. How could he have possibly anticipated their arrival? This spirit was good. Too good.

She had to eliminate him—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. _Her_ victory was not ensured until _his_ demise was imminent. 

Oh God, how could she let a spirit, of all creatures, fool her? The Lady could not get over this deception. Anubis was dead, unimportant and irrelevant. Why should he trouble her now? He had no body, no form and no powers. Why would he team up with living beings anyway? Cooperation between ghosts and humans was improbable and extremely rare. The chance of this union was so small Lady Morin had not even considered it an option.

Ah, but there was the rub. Exactly… It was the fact that she had not looked at _every_ possibility that did her in. Had she taken the risk of believing the unbelievable, she would not be where she was now—without a clue on how to remedy the problem. 

And of course there was the question of why Lady Morin did not examine the probability closer. After all, she herself was an impossibility. By all rights she should have turned to dust centuries ago, becoming one with the Earth, but instead, here she was, awakening after a LONG nap.

__

Enough of making excuses! the Lady exclaimed to herself. _Now it is time to take the necessary action to… remedy the mistake. _She had two options: damning or imploding. Which to choose?

Well, if she made the choice to damn Anubis, it would be considerably easier. The ritual was simple enough, and the materials to do it were easy to gather. However, the results were not permanent, as she knew oh so very well. Damning only resulted in sending the wandering spook to a grave in Hell, but the spell to remove him was as uncomplicated as spells get. And with the foreign energy she sensed in the mountains, Lady Morin figured there was another sorceress in town that could potentially make her job very complex. Anubis would be back in her hair just as quickly as she had damned him.

Now, implosion seemed to be the best, most permanent option. Although gathering all the necessaries and performing the rites was next to impossible because of particular reasons, implosion meant assured doom for the specter and victory for the Lady. It was literally the soul sucking into itself until it disintegrated, never to return. However, gathering the raw materials would be tremendously complicated, for they grew in the Fantasia Forest—woodland inhabited by ancient faeries, who held an immense grudge against Lord Yusaki as well as herself. 

No matter. Lady Morin would just have to send Rantach.

Now she had bigger fish to fry. There was that matter of the Ronin Warrior of the Strata… His life force was so young, so tender, so vulnerable. And so ready to be devoured! The Lady could hardly wait to taste the flavor of his soul. Celestial warriors like Rowen of the Strata were a dead race. Their hearts were pure and succulent. Lady Morin had not had one in MANY centuries, and it seemed Rowen would be her last, for he was the last of his kind. Besides, he had something she wanted back.

Lady Morin smiled wantonly into the ebony room, licking her lips with excitement. She arranged the ingredients on the table before her, pinching a bit of powdered snake vertebrae between her fingers and dropping it into her other hand.

@~~`~~~

As he approached the front door to his apartment, Rowen collapsed to the floor, gasping like a fish out of water. He clawed at the door while he tried to scream for help, but no sounds other than wheezes escaped his mouth. Banging on the oak slab before him, the warrior attempted to pull himself to his feet. He twisted the knob and shoved the portal open.

Rowen fell haphazardly inward, crashing to the ground with a mammoth thud. The apartment was dark and silent otherwise. Apparently, Sage went home with Hime after leaving Kento's place, but Rowen screamed for him anyway. "Sage!" he croaked, his voice racked with tremors of pain. "Sage! Christ, where are you?" Strata's subarmor flashed on and off, like a strobe gone awry. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his head into the floor, mumbling, "I'm dying. Oh God, I'm dying."

The warrior tried to fight his way to the phone, but the agony of an undefined torture crippled his body. His limbs refused to move, as though he had no body at all. Suddenly, the intense heat of fire engulfed his heaving chest, and Rowen groped for his heart with grotesque, misshapen hands. The pain wasn't just outside his body, but racing within it.

"Sage, goddammit, where are you?" he coughed through a mouthful of blood.

Abruptly, Strata's muscles relaxed, and his eyes closed as he fell into a thankful sleep. This time he had the same dream as always, but this time it was far more macabre. 

@~~`~~~

"This can't be right!" Anubis wailed incredulously. "No, no, no! Talpa, you slimy bastard! How could you do this! How could you unleash this!" His cast his eyes to the floor of Lady Kayura's cave. He then stomped his invisible foot angrily down to the ground, and an empty sound echoed.

__

Okay, get a hold of yourself, Anubis! You handled that Dynasty creep, and you can handle this, too. Besides, what has it_ got on _its_ side? A dragon and the Necronomicon. Nothing you or the Ronins can't handle._

Or is it…

The spirit combed nervously through his ethereal white hair and massaged his head. He had to think. He had to come up with a plan that would outsmart the Dualar, or it would outsmart him.

Anubis had two options: separation or obliteration. Which to choose?

If he took the obliteration, that would be much easier. However, it would kill both parts of the Dualar, and that was against his ethics (which he was surprised to still have in his afterlife). In obliteration, at least the evil in the Dualar's soul would devour itself into nothingness. But once the process was started, it could not be finished until both souls inside the body were consumed. The Ronin Warriors would never allow him to do this, nor would the spirits of the Ancients.

Anubis' other option was separation, which entailed the dividing of the two souls back into their original bodies. However, separation had to be performed at extremely close range by a _mortal human_. With the separation ritual completed, the warrior could then kill the evil soul of the Dualar without doing much physical harm to the host soul. 

It seemed Anubis' second choice was really his only choice. Now all he had to do was explain all of this madness to the Ronins and Kayura, and then they could fight the Dualar and her dragon as well as retrieve the Necronomicon before it could be used for the summoning.

Immediately, Anubis faded from view, on his way back to Kento's house in hopes of catching Kayura. The sooner they knew about this Dualar, the better chance they had of stopping her before it was too late.

@~~`~~~

Running. Running with the speed of a thousand cheetahs. Rowen ran until he reached the apex of a mountain. He surveyed the scene then squeezed the hand in his own.

The warrior glanced to his left and saw that his partner was exhausted, as her breaths slipped in and out of her mouth in fantastic puffs. Bringing her hand to his heart, Rowen calmed the mysterious woman as best he could. Though her face was heavily shadowed, even the darkness could not mask the appreciative grin displayed upon her fair face. It was as if she had not been touched by another human in eons.

But the moment couldn't last long because they were on the run. Rowen got the strangest case of déjà vu when he looked down at his pumping legs cloaked in his armor to, see them speckled with blood. It was like he'd seen this—done this—all before. He fought the feeling back and concentrated on pressing steadily downward on the mountainside.

__

Why? Why is this all so familiar? he questioned himself. 

Suddenly, the path ended, and a gorge stretched out before the couple. Rowen stared anxiously at his partner, feeling her heart rate accelerate through the veins in her wrist. "What can we do? We have nowhere left to go, and _it's_ coming!"

She said nothing.

"Akemi! Please speak to me! We'll never escape _it_ unless we cooperate!" Rowen grabbed her shoulders and shook her until she faced him. "Listen, if you don't help me out here, you're going to end up back on the _inside_. Now, what are we going to do to escape?"

Akemi lifted her face toward his, and even though the blackness still disguised her visage, Rowen knew she was crying. Ever so slowly and painfully, her ivory arm striped with vermilion paint drifted upward, pointing directly over the edge of the stone balcony. "You can't mean?" Rowen asked, astonished. Akemi nodded. "But even with my armor's power, the sheer drop will kill you. Akemi, your body's in no condition to take that sort of a plunge."

Then Rowen felt the ground trembling beneath his feet in steady waves. "Oh God, _it's_ coming!" Strata glanced back and forth between Akemi and the pit. He grasped her wrist, wrenching it unnecessarily harshly. "Come on!" He dragged her to the terrace's brink and looked downward.

In the canyon flowed a river of jewels, glistening cherry and violet in the setting sun. All Rowen could see was their blood staining the surface like oil and overflowing the river's banks. He couldn't protect Akemi if they jumped, at least, not enough to keep her whole. Rowen didn't want to risk losing her, not when she was the only person who could make sense of what was going on.

But there were no other options left from which the Ronin could choose. If he wanted to at least have _something_ left of Akemi, he had to take her over the edge with him. Rowen took a deep breath and yelled, "_It's_ coming!" The outline of their pursuer appeared over the crest of the path. A monstrous face glowered at Rowen and Akemi, two particularly vicious fangs hanging over the sanguine lip of the dragon.

Without a moment's hesitation and merely trusting his armor to guide him, Rowen of the Strata pulled Akemi tight against his body, holding onto her so firmly that he feared crushing her. He locked his hands around the small of her back then ordered to her, "Hold on to me with everything you've got left. You hear me, Akemi?" She buried his face into his chest and sniffled a yes. Biting his lip, Rowen placed a hesitant foot at the rocky brim. He knew this was way too dangerous for him to do with Akemi, but this was the safest way, ironically.

So he just let himself go.

Down, down the pair plummeted. Each clung to the other, desperately searching for a reassurance they could not find. Rowen closed his eyes, letting the air guide his inner spirit. As planned, his armor's self-defense mechanism was triggered, and a faintly blue bubble encapsulated Rowen and Akemi. When the wind stopped whipping around him, the warrior dared to open his eyes. And that's when he realized they had ceased falling.

Before him, on a pedestal of air, towered a black mistress Rowen had never imagined in his wildest daydreams. She was dressed in ebony from head to toe, the only exceptions being the amethyst jewelry and her rich, plum-colored eyes. Her skin was a flawless blanket of white, contrasting so sharply with her dark appearance that the look burned Rowen's retinas. A serpentine tongue darted out from between her tightly sealed, charcoal lips, coating them with a layer of saliva; they glistened then under the fading light. "I seem to have lost something," the mistress proclaimed with false innocence. Craning her head left to right, with secret intentions lying behind her shadowed visage, the midnight woman pretended to search for her lost possession. The moment her eyes returned to Akemi, a wicked grin emerged upon her face. "There it is! And all this time I've been looking in the mountains!" She put her hands on her hips. The dream world did not move—just the sorceress and Rowen seemed alive. 

"You know what happens to souls that try to escape, don't you, Akemi?"

The girl cuddling within Strata's grasp was frozen, fear forever painted upon her beautiful face. Rowen tightened his hold. 

"Now, now. I must have what belongs to me. And she is mine." The mistress threw her arms wide, and the dreamscape was sucked into her body, Akemi included.

"No!" screeched Rowen, urgent hands seeking the feminine form that haunted his every dream. "You can't take her from me! She is the key!"

"No, Rowen of the Strata. I am the key." The sorceress blinked, nictitating lenses flashing out from corners of her eyes.

She tapped her fingers together in front of her body mindlessly. "You know, you don't have to be without Akemi. You want the answers, Rowen of the Strata? Then step into my world…" And with that, she opened wide the doors to Hell; she stretched out her arms again.


	4. We All Have to Go Sometime

Chapter Three—We All Have to Go Sometime ****

Chapter Three—We All Have to Go Sometime

After kissing his girlfriend goodnight, Sage wandered down the apartment complex's hallway to his room. He was lucky to have a girl so close to home, literally. Hime's lips seemed to linger on his, and Sage couldn't resist the urge to touch the skin where they met. She may have been a bit unruly at times, but then again, so was he.

Stopping at his apartment door, Sage drew in a deep breath. The portal was ajar. It didn't look so much like a forced entry as it did an urgent one. Suddenly worried about his best friend, the Ronin summoned his subarmor and charged into the living room swaddled in shadows. 

The steady drip of their leaky faucet was, at the moment, the only sound. No cars could be heard on the streets below, and no animals could be heard in the garden beneath the complex. Eerily, no breaths—other than Sage's own strangled ones—sounded in the silence-choked room either. "Rowen!" Halo called, trying not to reveal the panic in his voice lest an intruder here it and act upon it.

Nothing.

"Rowen? Where are you? I know you're here! Come out now!" 

Silence.

Tiptoeing over to the light switch, Sage illuminated the room with a flick of his finger only to discover the horrific scene on the floor of the kitchen.

Covered in a river of blood flowing from his mouth was Sage's lifetime best friend. Rowen's eyes were jammed tightly shut in permanent agony, and his fist clenched the portion of his shirt above his heart. Rowen's chest did not move up and down, but instead lay placid, his muscles outlined by the crimson shirt he wore. The warrior's skin glowed a sickly white and glistened as the beads of drying sweat captured the ceiling light.

Sage fell to his knees beside Rowen, shaking his friend's body frantically. "Rowen!" he shrieked. "Speak to me! Wake up, and tell me what's wrong!" He patted Rowen's cheeks gently at first then proceeded to increase intensity. "Dammit! Wake up now! Listen to me, you stubborn bastard! This is no time for jokes, not after what happened to Kento today!" 

When Rowen did not respond, flinch or even breath, Sage released his friend's hand and raced for the kitchen phone. Dialing madly, he urged the residents of the Fuan household to answer the phone faster. "Come on, come on… Hello? Oh, thank God you're still there, Lady Kayura!… What's wrong? Oh God, is there a list? Suffice it to say I need you—Rowen needs you—now, as in five minutes ago!… Yes! Come on!" With that angry demand, Sage hung up the phone and waited for the mystical Lady Kayura to appear before him.

Sage was not disappointed. In mere seconds, a spectral light pulsed within the center of the room, forming the crude shape of a woman. Finally, with the completion of the teleportation, Lady Kayura stood worriedly before Sage. "What's going on? Where's Rowen?"

"Over here," Sage motioned, leading the Ancient over to his comatose—or worse, he could not tell—best friend. "He was like this when I got home, so I don't know for how long he's been there."

"Gracious!" Kayura shouted, dropping to her knees and throwing her staff aside in order to position her hands over Rowen's unmoving chest. Splinters of white light—refreshing and brilliant—shot from the Lady's hands and speared the body on the floor. Slowly, she spread her hands over Rowen, like a scanner, and that's exactly what she was doing… scanning.

Once the ritual was completed, Lady Kayura analyzed the data gathered in her head, searching for the cause and how deep in trouble Rowen was. She then stood to face Sage, biting her lower lip. "He's not dead, but he may as well be," the Ancient informed. "His soul is gone. My magic detects no Inner Light from Rowen of Strata."

"How can that be?" Sage queried incredulously. 

"Listen, in addition to the missing soul, my magic indicates heavy traces of foreign magic within his skull. That must be how the sorcerer or sorceress entered Rowen of Strata's body to steal his Inner Light."

"Why would anyone want to steal someone's Inner Light though?"

Lady Kayura bowed her head in thought. "I know of two reasons. Either Rowen possessed knowledge the magician didn't want shared, or the magician was simply hungry."

"Hungry? People eat souls?"

"No, Sage of Halo, not people, creatures." She paused and unfurled a fist, counting off creatures that used souls as a staple food. "Dragons, Dualars, Weredwarves and certain races of goblins all eat souls. And the list goes on."

"I don't even know what a Weredwarf is!" Sage exclaimed angrily.

Lady Kayura spoke as she levitated Rowen's body, moving it from the kitchen floor to the living room sofa. "Weredwarves are a mixed breed of Werecreatures of any kind and the average dwarf. The combination of the two genes—Were and dwarf—creates a monster that mutates from dwarf to killing machine every full moon cycle. For some reason, they are the only species of Werecreatures that feast upon human souls."

"Okay, this is a little too much mythology for me."

"Nonsense! Obviously, once we've tackled the mage that did this and slayed the creature that stole Rowen of Strata's Inner Light, then you and your fellow Ronin Warriors will have to brush up on your legends. As you progress in your fighting careers, you will come across monsters and magical beings of all sorts. In order to be successful in fighting them, you Ronins will need to know what they are and what buttons to push to defeat them."

Sage sighed, his shoulders sagging. All this talk was making his head spin. He simply wanted his best friend back to normal. His mind, at this stage, could not comprehend all that Lady Kayura was saying. "I still don't understand why Rowen though. Why would any creature attack him for his soul all the way out here in Wakki? Maybe there was no secret knowledge; but if not, why him?"

Lady Kayura bit her tongue. She knew Rowen had not wanted anyone to know of his heritage, but this was Sage, his best friend, and he could be trusted to keep it a secret. "Well…" she whispered with a strained knowledge. "Rowen made me promise not to say anything, but desperate times call for desperate measures. So here goes…

"Eons and eons ago, there was a great civilization that rivals even the human species nowadays. They were known throughout the galaxies as the Celestial Warriors—a group of "knights", I suppose you'd call them—who were a chivalrous race of beings that were as pure of heart as they were of spirit. After a long and prosperous reign over the heavens, where they resided in safety, the Celestial Warriors one by one began to mix with other races. Because of this mixed breeding, the immortality inherent to every Celestial Warrior began to thin with each generation. However, the purity of mind, body and soul remained despite these mismatches; it seemed no evil could conquer the innate goodness of a Celestial Warrior. 

"Suddenly though, the Celestial Warriors were susceptible to death and disease and everything else Satan and his spawn could cook up to destroy them. Gradually, the Celestial Warriors' numbers dwindled until one distant child from the lost civilization was left to carry on its legacy. That child is Rowen of Strata, the last Celestial Warrior."

Sage sat on the chair neighboring Rowen's soulless body, his eyebrows permanently squeezed in thought. "Excuse me? Where exactly did you pull that bull from, Kayura? If that ridiculous tale were even remotely true, Rowen surely would have told me about it. Besides, this still has nothing to do with why some monster would steal Rowen's soul!"

"Didn't the Ancient teach you goons anything?" Lady Kayura wailed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Rowen of Strata couldn't tell anyone about his uncorrupted genes for fear of attracting attention to himself. Why, you probably ask? Because Celestial Warriors are notorious for having pure Inner Lights. To a soul-eater, it's like shark fin soup! To a powerful mage, it's essentially a flawless get-rich-quick scheme. Steal the soul, auction it off to the highest bidder, and—kazam!—your heart's desire is as good as yours. Do you understand now?"

Fighting back tears that would only hurt him more, Sage of Halo nodded. How could this be happening? First Kento, now Rowen! Carved from the emptiness in his mind, an enticing crimson path emerged, its destination hidden far beyond the reaches of reality. The Ronin could only imagine where it led, but he feared continuing down it, for he might never return from the brink of insanity. A word was painted on every brick of the road, each in lilac so dark it resembled black. "Venture… down… my… way… Ronin… Peace… awaits… those… who… have… the… courage… to… follow… me… blindly… I… alone… am… your… savior…" Sage did not understand. Who would, it was such a cryptic message? Probably the only person who could make sense of the symbol was the one who was comatose.

"Sage? Sage! Snap out of it!" Lady Kayura ordered, tapping his cheek with the meat of her palm. 

"Lady Kayura!" the Ronin squeaked as he grabbed her kimono by the collar. "We have to wake Rowen up now! How do we do it?"

Kayura touched the tip of her finger against Sage's chest, and instantly, he let go, as he no longer had control of his muscles. She backed up a few steps, drew in a breath and began. "Nearly every problem in life has two ways to deal with it. In this case, both will be next to impossible to accomplish. Option one: we find the kidnapper and forcefully take back the soul, a feat that can only be done by a fellow magician, like me. Option two: Ryo heads into Faerie Heath in order to beseech the help of Empress Haleigha, ruler of the Moonlighter Faeries. Only the empress herself can successfully retrieve Rowen's Inner Light to safety. Any way you look, stop signs mar the path."

There seemed to be no hope for Rowen. Lady Kayura knew that whatever magic had been used, it was nearly beyond her scope of abilities not to mention imagination. Most likely, if she even found the kidnapper, she would die trying to fight for the soul back. On the other hand, if Ryo chose to make the trip into the heath, twice as many formidable obstacles would block him.

Lady Kayura began pacing across the floor. Obviously something else was plaguing her. "What's wrong now, Kayura? Seems like we're getting the situation under control. I mean, Ryo will do the whole faerie thing no problem."

"That's not it," she sighed exasperatedly. Boy, she'd had a busy night! "There's just a few things I still don't quite understand yet; things that don't connect, and they should. After all, every piece has to fit the puzzle somewhere. But I can't get these things to meet."

"You're saying things, as in plural."

She nodded. "Well, sure. For instance, all those soul-eating creatures I just told you about? Well, they have to literally rip apart the body to get the Inner Light—I mean, shred to smithereens—so usually there's nothing left of the victim. But if that's true, how the hell did this monster get Rowen's soul without killing his body? The other question is: Where does the magician come into play? Surely, there is _a lot_ more to this attack than meets the eye." Kayura glanced wearily around the room, the weight of her hectic day pressing down upon her shoulders.

Kneeling beside Rowen's side, Sage's eyes pierced Strata's flesh. "What did you know, buddy? What did you know? Come back to us so you can fill us in. Tell us what Talpa's up to."

"This isn't Talpa's work, Sage of Halo. Not his style at all. Talpa never pussyfooted around anything. If he wanted it, he went out and took it, making as much noise and ringing as many bells as possible. Talpa was never one for guile or stealth."

"How true," Sage declared, smiling as he thought back to all the times they has spoiled Talpa's overt plans. "But if Talpa and his goons didn't do it, then we're still left with your questions."

"And the Ronins are left with an unknown enemy."

@~~`~~~

Mia chewed her lip nervously. Dark thoughts swelled and pulsed within her brain, visions of souls melting into one another with their pleas for savoir becoming one hellish union. She drew into Ryo's open arms even closer. In response, Ryo hugged her with all of his might, using her need for comfort to satisfy his own. But still she couldn't relax. Kento's attack had brought on a surge of well-known emotions, ranging from hate to anger to fear.

Fear. Mia feared for her own existence, for the world's existence and, most of all, Ryo's existence. She had now what she considered to be the perfect relationship. After three years together, their relationship was still fresh and exciting. But if the evil of the Dynasty had returned or something worse yet, Mia didn't believe she could handle losing Ryo. She had already lost Yuli—poor Yuli…—and she never wanted that to happen again.

The phone buzzed in the corner of the Sanada household. "Excuse me, honey," Ryo mumbled, gently pushing her off of him. He shuffled into the kitchen almost in a daze and lifted the receiver. "Hello? … What can I do for you, Kayura? … … …" 

There was a long, uncomfortable pause from within the kitchen, and Mia leaned over the sofa arm to stare at her boyfriend. He stood with his eyes wide and his mouth agape. She had never seen him so frightened. "Everything all right, Ryo?" When he didn't respond, she moved to his side, placing a hand on his stiff wrist. He shook it off violently and shot her the "don't disturb me" look. Mia backed off, seating herself in a chair. Her mind was reeling. What was going on?

"There's nothing you can do? Let me talk to Sage… …" Another suspenseful halt in conversation. "I need to know everything. Tell me exactly what happened…. We don't have a while. Sum it up fast… … … … Okay, listen, I'll be over in ten minutes or less. Meanwhile, I want you to phone the others and alert them. Have Kayura do another scan, then brief me when I get over there…" Ryo slammed the receiver down on the handle and grabbed a jogging coat slung over the hallway banister. He was out the door in the time it took Mia to say "Where ar—"

@~~`~~~

Kento heard the phone ring several times on the wall, but he was too exhausted to pick it up. "Cye! Cye! Where the hell are you? The damn phone's ringing off the hook!" No answer came. "Cye!" Kento wailed with the intensity of a thousand dying cats. 

"What?" an annoyed, yet familiar accent responded from the bathroom. 

"Can't you hear the phone?"

"I'm busy," Cye informed with strained patience and a bit of embarrassment. "Get off your fat ass and answer it yourself!"

Reluctantly, Kento clambered out of bed and into the living room, picking up the handset on the 15th or 16th ring. "Yello? Fuan residence… He what? … Well, is he gonna be okay? … … That's not a good enough answer! He has to be." Kento cleared his tension-clogged throat. "What happened?… Yeah, bu—… I know, bu—… Would you listen a sec, Sage? I'm trying to say something. Now, are his eyes moving under the lids? … Well, would you check? … They are? Oh, excellent. Put Kayura on… Just do it! … Fine, fine! I'll get Cye and we'll be there as quick as we can. Don't touch him until I get there. Bye."

With that cursory farewell, Kento knocked on the bathroom door. "Come on, buddy. We have to high tail it to Sage and Rowen's place. ASAP! Rowen's in trouble, big trouble."

There was a fast flushing sound from inside the room, and Cye's red face emerged shortly thereafter. "What kind of trouble?"

@~~`~~~

The group assembled in the confines of the Hashiba/Date household, Rowen in the center on the couch. It was strikingly similar to the mood in the Fuan house earlier that day; however, this one seemed far grimmer. The Ronins could hardly think in the stiflingly atmosphere.

And Rowen could hardly breathe.

"There is one option left open to us," Lady Kayura informed suddenly, severing the record long silence. "But the trouble is… only Ryo can carry it out. If he does not succeed before the time when the soul-eater decides to devour Rowen's Inner Light, our friend will die. Rowen is literally living on borrowed time."

Mia began to sob. This was just what she had always known would happen. Something would happen to one of them, and the only person who could do anything about it was her Ryo. There was nothing she could say and no way she could convince him to let someone else try.

Mia was upset.

Mia was torn.

Mia was lost.

Mia was furious.

She hated having Ryo for a boyfriend. A hundred thousand times she had cried herself to sleep, praying for the day she would wake up and fall in love with a normal guy. But to no avail. For the rest of her existence she would yearn for only one man, Ryo Sanada. And she hated him for it. Ryo didn't deserve a love that he couldn't promise that would last for all eternity. But, dammit, Mia did!

Without so much as a word, Mia got up from the couch, grabbed her shoes and stormed out the front door, leaving the room choked with stunned gasps.

The Ronins looked to Ryo for answers, but he could not supply one. "Continue," he uttered to Kayura, his eyes on where Mia's shoes had rested… right next to his.

"As I told Sage earlier, the only way for you to remedy Rowen is to venture into the Faerie Heath and consult the Empress Haleigha. I believe they will cooperate with us because of our entangled pasts. The thing about these Moonlighter sprites is that they remain invisible to you unless they feel you worthy. Ryo, you will have to gain their trust before they let you see them, especially the empress. Do you comprehend so far?"

He nodded, glancing back to where Mia's shoes had rested. "So, is that all I have to do? Ask for this Haleigha's help?"

"From now on, only refer to her as Empress Haleigha. The Moonlighters are a very proper faerie race, and if they feel offended in any way, they will not hesitate to kill you. Now you understand the dangers of the faeries themselves?"

"I see. But I'm not worried. I can't be in any sorrier shape than Rowen. That it? Cos if you're done, I got a bog to visit."

The fair Lady shook her head. "Not nearly. Along the path to their home there will be many dangers. You have to be prepared for them. These dangers are innumerable. For me to try and tell you about every one of them would take at least five years—"

"Sheesh!" Kento cut in.

Ryo quieted him with a look. "That bad, eh? Like I said, I'm not afraid of anything. Us Ronins have been in a lot worse scrapes than this one, right guys?"

The Ronins, for the first time in a long time, were speechless. They found it hard to believe such a statement. A Ronin Warrior had never been this close to death, and they had never walked a thinner line, even with Talpa. They had little idea whom they were fighting and even less over what they were fighting. It was closer to the truth to say the war had not yet begun. Ryo glared almost angrily at his companions, shocked that they would not rise to the challenge. "Maybe not, but this doesn't mean were not going to fight for Rowen's life, for all of ours." At least that got a stir out of the silent boys, and each one nodded enthusiastically.

"Then it is settled," the Lady Kayura said with a light smile. "I shall brief you very quickly, Wildfire, and your journey into the Darkness shall commence." She stood and motioned to the front door. "Shall we?" The door opened on its own, and Ryo proceeded toward it. 

"Don't worry guys. I wouldn't let Rowen down for the world." With that, the door closed behind the mysterious pair, and the Ronins were left to stare at their unconscious friend.


	5. The Beast Within and Without

Chapter Four—The Beast Within and Without ****

Chapter Four—The Beast Within and Without

Blackness of the deepest kind surrounded Rowen. He felt transparent, naked, bared. He had no control of his emotions, and despair, usually kept hidden in the pit of his stomach, rose like bile in his throat. It spilled out of his mouth and overtook his body.

Was he dead? Alive? Or both? What was this place, and who was that beautifully evil woman from before? AND HOW DID THEY ALL TIE IN?

Rowen's head throbbed with the pain, the fear, the raw emotion. His heart stammered when the vision appeared before him. Akemi…

How remarkable. So flawless, so young, and yet so aged. Her hands covered her eyes as she huddled in a fold in the darkness. "One, two, three, four…" Her counting was monotonous—slow and childlike—like she was playing a game of hide-and-go-seek. "Five, six, seven, eight…" Akemi's body trembled with excitement and youthful delight. Strands of vaguely violet hair tickled the backs of her hands. But she kept pace. "Nine, TEN! Ready or not—"

"Here I come!" roared a raging beast from the edge of the nothingness. Rowen recognized the form instantly as that of his dream stalker. Her luminous amethyst trinkets screamed against the satiny night. Akemi howled in revulsion, but her terror was soon gobbled up the hungry beast woman.

Silence drummed in Rowen's head. Not one sound was heard. Not the beating of a heart; not a breath; not a noise of life. Deadness all around him. Rowen wondered to where _she_ had disappeared. 

Then out of a ghostly fog materialized the sorceress. Her face strangely resembled that of Akemi's, and her body was shaped with the same femininity. But the eyes were radically different. They held a barely contained rage within their smoky depths. The blackness of her pupils was deeper than that which surrounded Rowen, a thought almost too frightening to think. Evil possessed her, seeped from her pores, pervaded the air around her. Ebony talons sprouted from her deceivingly fragile fingers, wicked instruments of torture, Rowen was sure. And Rowen also noticed a pair of vampire fangs protruding suggestively over her bottom lip.

__

Beautiful but deadly the Ronin reminded himself, sizing her up. 

"See something you like?" the witch cackled with glee.

"Something I'd like to destroy, more like." He fired a look of hatred in her direction, but she seemed to feed off his anger.

The intensity of the darkness swelled, pressing intimately against Rowen's shackled body. "Isn't it wonderful?" the woman queried, motioning around the nothingness. "So real, and yet not here at all. You can see the darkness, but you cannot touch it. Like a fantasy." Her voice was soft with twisted love. She stroked the blackness, and it responded, unbelievably, it RESPONDED! Ebony fingers intertwined with her own. A grim smile lit her face.

"What is this place?"

She breathed deep the aroma of terror laced with intrigue. It stimulated her blood, excited her molecules. Home… "This, Celestial Warrior, is my humble abode."

"But there's nothing here! How can an impossibility be your home? It isn't tangible."

She grinned, her fangs slipping over her lip again. "It doesn't need to be, not for me. For you see, I am an impossibility. I shouldn't be here, but magically I am. The key word it magically. Strata, for a Celestial Warrior you lack imagination. 

"But let's not talk about this anymore," she ordered with a firm stomp of her foot. "I grow weary of philosophical conversation, day in day out. Perhaps I should take this time to introduce myself. I am the incomparable Lady Morin, key advisor to His Highness Lord Yusaki as well as court sorceress." She bowed emphatically, sweeping a feathery hand through the air. Pride and overconfidence drifted on an imagined breeze.

Rowen remained unimpressed. "Where's Akemi? What have you done with her?" he demanded with ferocity. 

Casually, the Lady shrugged. "She's within me, she's without me. Depends on the day. But I tell you, boy, what a struggle it is to keep her caged. You'd think after 5000 plus years of training her, she'd pick up something, but I suppose she'll never learn her place, eh?"

Rowen wanted to spit in her face, watch it ooze down over her lips and stain the purple satin lining of her gown. But he knew he couldn't, for it would only worsen his situation. As it were, prospects of escape seemed non-existent, and doom came synonymously with the sure rising of the sun. He had to bide his time. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, nor do I give a damn. Now, just give me Akemi and let us go, and we'll go about our merry, _separate_ ways."

Lady Morin laughed hysterically. She doubled over from the pain in her stomach. She hadn't laughed like this in eons. "You're kidding me, right? You're hardly in any position to be making threats. You don't know where you are; you don't know who or what I am; you don't have any comprehension of the power I control; why, you don't even know who YOU are." She split with laughter again. "Ah, youth… I'll be back for you in a little while, Warrior. Have a nice nap." 

With a snap of her fingers, Lady Morin disappeared and Rowen was left in utter darkness, as if his eyes were closed, though he knew they were not. So he had no choice but to listen to the lavender lady and rest for a bit. Sleep overtook him before he could count one sheep.

@~~`~~~

Lady Kayura slouched against hall outside Sage and Rowen's apartment. Her mind ached with a pressure that would not be relieved until this mess was concluded. She felt stupid, like she was fumbling around in the dark for a light switch but to no avail. 

No answers would come to her. And now she may just have sent Ryo of the Wildfire off to his own demise. Countless times in the last hour she had racked her brains for other options; however, none would reveal themselves. Lady Kayura was left without any other choice but to send the Ronin leader into Fantasia Forest, a desolate and foreboding place despite its charming title. Would he return? Only time would tell. Same thing went with Rowen's condition. Would he get better? She didn't know. 

Her shoulders sagged. Kayura's brain was truly overloaded. With so many possibilities floating up in the air and with her trying to grasp at even one, it left her mind scrambled. 

"God…" the Lady mumbled, pressing a hand to her forehead. She slumped to the floor. 

With all her mystical power, she could not foresee an end to this. Desperately, with every passing moment, she wished she might, but there was merely gray hanging on the horizon. A cornucopia of turnouts. Anubis had once told Kayura, on the morning of his "resurrection," that "the future is not determined by a roll of the dice, but by the conscious decisions of you and me." As she sat there huddled in a little ball, she pondered this. 

If Ryo could pull off this momentous task, if he could gain the trust of the ever-suspicious Empress Haleigha, and if by some divine miracle he could bring back Rowen's soul, then perhaps Lady Kayura had made the right choice. But if, on the same token, he failed on his quest—worse case scenario being his own untimely death—then she had failed twice, both Ryo and Rowen, and possibly on a larger scale, the world.

Sometimes the Lady wished her Fate _was_ controlled by the toss of some dice. Life would be so much simpler, easier to manage. 

For one of the first times in her life, Kayura needed help, more specifically Anubis'. He was her mentor, and perhaps only he could offer some answers to her puzzlements. 

@~~`~~~

Twilight fell upon the entrance to Fantasia Forest, a bizarre clash of innocence and perversion. The sky melted into hues of gold and amber and crimson while the woods remained a bleak abode for the forsaken creatures of the world. Rose-colored fingers plucked at the leaves of cherry blossom trees, forcing them to tremble with anger at the disturbance. Light embraced the woods in its nightly farewell though the forest seemed to shy away from the illuminating contact. Evening sounds of frogs and crickets did not emanate from these woods as they did from so many others; instead there was the low growl of predators on the hunt. Lightning bugs refused to fly near the rim of the trees, as though they sensed the evil that veiled the forest. Like high beams on a car, forest creatures' eyes flickered on with eerie luminescence; staring, scanning, preying. 

Although the air washing upon him from the Pacific remained warm from the summery day, Ryo shivered under the animals' hungry glares. He suspected a number of the eyes belonged to carnivorous beasts, sizing him up for a late dinner. He wondered how large a "root weasel"—one of the roaming dangers of the forest Kayura spoke of—was anyway. 

Shifting his supply pack on his back, the Ronin proceeded into the dimly lit realm of the Moonlighter Faeries. Immediately he felt watched by a thousand pairs of eyes. Though he could see nothing in the fifteen-foot radius around him, Ryo remained on alert. With every couple steps he took, he checked his back then above and beside him. Inside he felt isolated and utterly alone, but he knew that in reality this was definitely not the case.

Darkness shadowed nearly the entire floor of the forest by now. The trees were oddly silent even for a magical forest like this one, a fact that chilled Ryo's bones. The quiet was of no more comfort than a snarl of a lurking beast. But he pressed onward, using a compass to guide his way through the woods. With no path or map to follow, his only choice was to fumble through the underbrush on an eastward course for the expansive Faerie Heath. With a little luck, Ryo would reach the place in less than two full days.

The guts of Fantasia Forest hung from its dark canopy, great looping intestine-like vines dripping down in a gory display. Not a single slash of color brightened the interior; nothing but deep green and charcoal gray created the landscape. The steady plip-plop of water resounded inside the confines of the woods, and shortly thereafter the sound began to grate on Ryo's nerves.

Something to his right scurried uncomfortably near Ryo. His sword flashed into his hands in seconds, its gleaming metal searing the surroundings. Nothing. Probably just a ground snake. Probably. Hopefully. But there was no way to tell in the extreme darkness.

Replacing the sword in its holster, Ryo stopped for a little while to gather his bearings. He couldn't continue on this tense, not if he hoped to get to the heath anytime soon. His reflexes were spring-loaded, waiting for the tiniest sound to trigger the release. Getting through to the Empress would take double the time if Ryo had to jump at everything that crossed his path. As long as he stayed alert but remained cool, all would run smoothly. At least, that was Ryo's hope. On that note, the Ronin Warrior trudged forward, an air of confidence lighting his way like a lantern.

Before complete nightfall was upon Japan, Ryo had ventured over three miles into the woodland without difficulty. Satisfied that his fearlessness was warding off unwanted confrontation with the forest creatures, he decided to stop for a quick drink and a bag of Kento's chips, which Ryo had pilfered from the Fuan household. Indulging himself for but a snippet of time, he did not notice the approaching enemy. 

The obnoxious crinkle of the chip bag drowned out the shuffle of slippered feet. The exaggerated slurping sound muffled the rustle of a dagger being unsheathed. However, the contented sigh of fulfillment was no match for the insane giggle of approaching evil.

In seconds, Ryo had leaped off his stump and snapped on his subarmor. He waited for the monster to emerge from the swelling blackness, his breath caught in his throat. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Ryo chanted under the maniacal laughing, scanning the ebony terrain at the same time.

The thing persisted in giggling from all sides. "Who be you, strange creature?" a nasal voice echoed throughout the treetops.

"Just that: a strange creature you don't want to mess with."

More laughter. "You fetch fine price at market, strange creature! Nah, maybe just head and armor. Who care bout rest, right?" Giggles erupted again, and Ryo felt the shadow creep closer. His heart rate increased. _Remember Kale_, he thought. _Work the darkness to your advantage. _For a second, Ryo thought he saw a pair of golden eyes blink in front of him, and he swung his blade forward. "Yes, yes!" the thing cheered excitedly. "Battle gear worth much gold! I be rich gnome when I get home!"

A thieving gnome. "Well I'll be damned," Ryo muttered in awe. It was one of the critters Kayura warned Ryo about. Often times these gnomes went simply for material possessions and supplies, but if the carrier interested them too, they were known to abduct him, selling all or parts of him in the magical equivalent of the black market. _Okay, Ryo, draw him out_. "And what makes you think you'll get money for an ugly head like mine?" Ryo gave the gnome time to consider this while he constructed a battle plan. "Who or what would want a big, nasty human head like this one anyway? Why, you couldn't even get flake of gold for this head of mine, it's so hideous!"

"You think so?" the gnome inquired, approaching Ryo blatantly now. 

"Oh, I know so. The only thing I own of real worth is this sword here. Its ancient and powerful, said to be charmed with magic spells and talismans. See, an immortal sorcerer crafted the handle. It's probably worth my weight in gold." The Ronin extended the grip of the sword toward the warty monster, displaying the beautiful stones and ornate workmanship.

The gnome stepped into Ryo's view. "Amaz—" Before its word was completed, Ryo had grabbed the creature by its stubby, mottled arm, twisted it behind its back and brought his sword to the gnome's throat. A giggle issued from its throat pressed the blade even closer to the gnome's soft skin. "You smarter than look, strange creature. I give you credit."

"If you think a lame compliment like that is going to save your life, you're sadly mistaken." Ryo angled the blade sharper, enough to draw a thin line of blood. "Nobody threatens the life of a soldier like me."

The gnome blinked twice in surprise. "That explain a lot. Why you so fast and alert. I shoulda known that armor was battle armor. Worth three times if used. More if user wearing it when sold."

"Shut-up," Ryo insisted, annoyance evident in his voice. "You know how the Arabs treat thieves? They cut off their hands, leaving them with useless stumps so they can never steal again. How well would those sell in your little marketplace?"

Silence. Obviously, the gnome was getting worried. The situation was changing every moment for the worse. Ryo's anger festered within him, and he had never felt so much rage in his life nor had he experience this insistent need to release it on this gnome. Another byproduct of Fantasia Forest, he supposed. Fighting the evil back with all his strength, Ryo released the creature and watched it scatter into the throbbing scenery. 

His peace dashed away by an unfortunate encounter, the Ronin decided it was time to move on anyway. There was much more he had to deal with in the upcoming hours, and Ryo needed time to mull over the changes his new environment created within him. Besides, sitting innocently in a forest infested with terrible things probably wasn't such a good idea…

@~~`~~~

Once again in the dimly lit hallway of Sage and Rowen's apartment complex, Lady Kayura paced impatiently as she waited for Anubis to appear before her. Several minutes had passed since she came in contact with the spirit's soul and left a message for him to meet up with her—the otherworldly answering machine. Usually it took less than twenty seconds for Anubis to receive the message and present himself before the Lady. But as those seconds stretched into a fourth minute, Kayura began to worry unlike she usually did. 

Time was quickly running out for all of the Ronin Warriors, especially Rowen. With Ryo off in Fantasia Forest, there was no way to tell how he was faring until he returned home. Mia was nowhere to be found, so Cye had reported. Sage fell deeper into depression with each passing moment he spent with his dying best friend. The Warlords and the remaining two Ronins had ventured off in search of clues to their mysterious new enemy. And Lady Kayura was about to spiral into insanity underneath all this undiluted pressure. 

She squeezed her eyes shut, taking note of all the colored dots that flashed with such vibrancy. Pressing two fingers to each temple, Kayura attempted to work out some of the pain. Unfortunately for her, the sorceress' spells did not work on her own body. "Where the hell are you, Anubis?" the Lady snapped anxiously, tapping her foot loudly. 

Finally, he appeared before her, amazingly pale even for a specter. "I'm sorry, m'lady, that I've kept you waiting so long," Anubis apologized, a bizarre hollowness in the depths of his voice. "I was on a personal mission to uncover the source of Kento's strange attack when I stumbled across some information. Some disturbing information," he corrected.

"Well?" Lady Kayura spat angrily with a flutter of her hand. "What did you find out?"

Anubis bit his lip as he surveyed their surroundings. The hallway, though heavily shadowed, was warmed with human emotions such as love and friendship. There was a certain peace to the mellow peach walls and gray tiled floors. Brand new gold numbers embellished every door, and inviting "Welcome" mats softened the atmosphere. It felt wrong to Anubis to destroy the comfort of this place with his frightening information. "Perhaps we can go somewhere else to discuss this…" 

Lady Kayura tilted her head in annoyance. "What's wrong with right here?"

"Nothing really, but—"

"Fine then. Proceed."

Anubis sighed. Sometimes working with this woman was worse than working under Talpa. "Very well…

"It began when I returned to your home in the Great Mountains. I was hoping to stumble across some sort of clue that would lead me to the source of Kento's discomfort. And boy did I find it." To Kayura, Anubis appeared to be trembling, and suddenly she had a new perspective on the situation. This was bad. This was very bad. "God, Kayura, I wish you could have seen the size of this thing. Everything makes sense now, everything."

"I'm not following your ramblings here, Anubis. You have to explain to me exactly what you saw that's gotten you so upset."

"Yes, yes, of course," he mumbled, flying back and forth in the hallway. His ethereal hands shook and his eyes widened with delayed shock. "A footprint, Kayura, a footprint's what I saw. Big! As long as I am. Three toes with claws. And there was a claw on the heel of the foot, too. My god, I thought to myself. This has to be a dragon. No escaping the truth here. And I know it was looking for me. My energy scent is incredibly strong; therefore, it leaves this residue in its wake. I guess that's how it found your lair, Kayura. It was looking for me…"

"But why?" the Lady questioned, her attention being drawn further and further into Anubis' frantic synopsis of events.

"That was the next thing I asked myself. Why me? Who would know of the powers I hold? Who would know of my connections with the Ronin Warriors? Certainly not a dragon! For heaven's sake, everyone knows dragons don't have much in the way of intelligence. They're good for two things: following orders and massive destruction. Aside from that, the last of the dragon species in Japan was obliterated about 1000 years ago!"

Kayura pondered what Anubis was saying. If all the dragons in Japan were butchered a millennium ago, where did this one come from? China perhaps. But it was doubtful that someone would be keeping tabs on Anubis all the way in China. 

"Then a strange revelation hit me as I stared at that footprint. There was something different about it, something awfully familiar. I took a closer look." Anubis drifted toward the Lady, his ghostly face inches from her own. He snapped his fingers, and Kayura was pulled from her trance. "I see it…" His voice quieted, as though he knew the walls had ears. "The Mark of Yusaki."

"The Mark of Who?"

"Yusaki. Ancient god of Japan. Five thousand years ago, Lord Yusaki fell from the sky and into a human body. He assumed control of all of Japan by the end of his first year on Earth. He ruled with an iron fist, and with the help of his dragon army, he kept perfect order. The entire country lived in fear of Lord Yusaki, until, that is, he was dethroned, his body mutilated, and his spirit sent to Hell."

A sudden silence fell upon the two. Kayura had know idea where Anubis was directing this conversation. She remembered none of this legend. "But what does Lord Yusaki have anything to do with this?" she cried with exasperation.

Apparently startled, Anubis went even whiter than he was. He floated backwards out of caution. "If you had just listened to what I said about the footprint, you'd make the connection." The Lady thought back to what he'd said about the mark, but nothing came to mind. Anubis sighed. "That mark is the key. Lord Yusaki seared his royal insignia into the feet of every dragon in his army. This tells us that the dragon is over 5000 years old, and it also reveals to me one other important thing."

"And what is that?"

"He's not alone. He's traveling with a Dualar."

Kayura noticeably shuttered. The flesh on her scalp prickled. _Of course!_ she thought. _This explains Rowen's state._ "Why didn't I see it before?" the sorceress exclaimed. "I should have noticed it before in the style in which Rowen's soul was taken. God, I even went over that option in my head, but I dismissed it in a flash! A Dualar, huh? Of course…"

"Kayura," the spirit whispered, taking her hands in his translucent ones. "There is one other bit of information I have about this pair." The Lady looked at the way in which he held her hands. It was tender, a desperate measure Anubis took to convey the importance on the message. "The dragon's name is Rantach. The Dualar's name is Morin. And they have the Necronomicon." 

And suddenly the waves crashed over Kayura's head, sucking her under and down into the abyssal realms of utter fear.

@~~`~~~

Sage waited patiently within his living room, anticipating the moment Ryo would burst through his door and declare his success in Fantasia Forest. He hummed a soft melody in hopes that Rowen could hear him and know that he wasn't alone. Occasionally, Sage would lean over Rowen's body to check for a pulse. The second before he touched Strata's flesh, goosebumps would emerge on his skin, his fear manifesting itself in the physical. And so far, every time he'd pulled away, he came back with the relief of knowing Rowen was still alive. He wondered how many more times that would happen before the relief became tremendous loss.

The door exploded inward, and Sage's dream suddenly became reality. Ryo stood in the doorframe with a long _something_ in his arms. A triumphant grin sparkled on his face. Rowen was saved! Sage leapt from his seat and raced to the entrance, squealing with joy. His best friend would live! His best friend would live!

As he approached Ryo, he became aware of his surroundings. He was not at the door, but rather still in his leather armchair. "How…" he began, then his eyes lifted to the doorway. There was indeed a figure standing in the archway; however, it was not Ryo but Anubis. And the long _something_ was Lady Kayura, who had evidently fainted in the hallway. "Lady Kayura!" Sage yelped, scurrying from one end of the room to the other. 

"She wasn't ready," Anubis murmured, handing the woman's body over to the Ronin. "She wasn't ready."

"Ready for what?" Sage asked as he carried Lady Kayura into Rowen's bedroom. He gently laid her down on the mattress and covered her with a blanket. As he cared for her expeditiously, he repeated his query. "Ready for what, Anubis?"

"For the truth. I knew I should have fed the information to her slower. God, she's been working so hard today. First Kento and then Rowen. Those two used up most of her strength. I should have waited. I knew I should have waited." The spirit flew angrily across the room, banging a hollow fist against the wall. "I'm such a fool."

As Sage tried to calm Anubis, he did not notice Rowen stirring out on the living room sofa. He did not even hear him speak. 

"Sage, where are you…"


	6. Deeper Into the Labyrinth

Chapter Five—Deeper Into the Labyrinth ****

Chapter Five—Deeper Into the Labyrinth

Lady Morin threw her head back and choked on her own laughter. Oh, this was too much fun… She let Rowen of the Strata fall to the undefined ground, slumped in a position of exhaustion. "And who, may I ask, is Sage?" A disgusting gurgle issued from Rowen's throat—blood and saliva mixing together. He spit roughly then gagged on the bitter taste. The sorceress lifted Rowen's head for him so that he was staring her straight in the eyes. "I asked you a question, Celestial Warrior."

"Burn in Hell, you rotten bitch," he wheezed, a harsh cough racking his tortured body. Whip-like lacerations snaked up and down his bare chest, crimson liquid weeping from the hideous welts. A thin cut traced the length of Rowen's jaw line, from one ear to the other—a grisly reminder of just how sharp Lady Morin's talons were. It hurt to breathe. His entire ribcage was mottled an ugly black and blue, and the outline of every bone in his chest was plainly viewed. One eye was swollen shut. The other cried a tiny trickle of blood. 

"Is Sage a fellow warrior?" The Lady kneeled down to Rowen's side to rub his fresh scar under his chin. Rowen shuddered with pain, electric tingles sizzling their way through his veins. "Tell me about him, sweetheart. Bare your soul to me." Her lips pressed against his cheek, softly and seductively like a lover's. "I promise I can keep a secret."

Rowen remained bound by magical shackles; otherwise he would have slapped away the foul temptress beside him. He shook with rage he had never dealt with—the rage brought on by Talpa. In the calmest voice he possessed, the Ronin spoke. "You will die. And your death shall be horrific, too. I will merely laugh as you are shredded to pieces from the inside out. The pain will be unimaginable, and there will be no escape, no rescues. You will die." Rowen could not lift his eyes to see how Lady Morin reacted to his words. He merely stared into the black emptiness beneath him, his gaze blank and emotionless just as his voice was. 

Slowly, the sorceress rose from beside the warrior, her head throbbing with imagined pain. He sounded so convinced of her demise, as though a great prophet had augured the scene centuries ago. As sure as the heavens above… Lady Morin was deeply disturbed by this turn of events. Something wasn't right about this boy. Indeed he was the last Celestial Warrior in the universe, but there was a strange aura surrounding him, a power the Lady could not quite place her finger on.

What she needed to do was take some time out and think about this mysterious strength. Before Lady Morin could feast on Rowen's soul, she needed to ascertain what powers he held and how she could steal them for her own twisted use. 

But not before just a _little_ more torture. She grinned impishly.

Rowen spit up more blood, sanguine streaks creating an eerie beard upon his chin. His wheezing deepened to a thick rattle of phlegm and blood in his chest, and tremors overtook his whipped body. Exhaustion plagued him inside and outside. Keeping his one good eye open was enough of a task for the Ronin, not to mention having to maintain concentration just to keep breathing. If he didn't have so much to live for, Rowen would have given up at any moment, letting Death lay him to an eternal rest. But he had to survive for the sake of the Ronin Warriors—and for his unknown, beautiful ally, Akemi.

"You think that pitiful little speech is supposed to dissuade me from my mission, Warrior?" the Lady finally asked at last. "Nothing will interrupt my sacred duties. You hear me, nothing!" Anger ignited the air. "And no one…" 

Rowen was thrust into an upright position, pinned up like the crucifix. He did not whine, whimper or beg. He submitted. He had no choice. There was no way Rowen would give the woman anymore pleasure from his pain, not if he could help it. 

A cackle sliced the air with a razor edge, taking some of Rowen's flesh with it. Spherules of blood gathered in the space before the Ronin's visage, as though gravity decided to play with him, too. His blood spun like a monstrous mobile, suspended by the magic of the sorceress. "Magnificent, is it not?" Lady Morin queried, fingers dancing hypnotically as she manipulated the twisting cyclone of blood. "Something so common as human blood transformed into a beautiful structure right before your very eyes. Don't you feel privileged to bear witness to such a remarkable event?"

"Privileged is not the word I would use."

"No matter," the Lady mumbled, releasing the droplets of liquid from her hold. They splattered on the unseen ground—vermilion on seamless black. The control had returned to her voice, and Lady Morin no longer felt the nervousness that had momentarily overtaken her. Once again she had a total hold on her captive, not the other way around. She could enjoy her work to the fullest. _No more interruptions_, she promised herself. "You never told me who this Sage is. I can only assume he's one of those four other Ronin Warriors I've seen in my images. Which one? The blonde, the brunette, the black-haired boy or the other blue-haired boy?" She leaned into his face again and purred. "Which one?"

Rowen refused to answer, already knowing what the result of his insolence would be. Morin drew back, smiling contentedly. She brought her right hand before her lips, flattening the palm and then blowing a sweetly evil breath upon it. The gentle breeze tickled Rowen's nose for an instant as he breathed it in, then he blinked twice, astounded that nothing had happened. For a brief moment in time there was no pain. What had she done to him?

"Which one?" 

Then it hit Rowen. Perhaps she was trying to coax him into telling her who Sage was with the promise of relief. Well he wasn't going to fall for it! He lifted his head up in defiance, and in the harshest tone he could muster, Rowen answered. "The blonde!" He grinned at his sharp rebellion before he realized the truth had been told. Quickly, the smile was wiped from his face and distress replaced it.

Lady Morin giggled. 

Truth serum. Devilish witch! All along she had known he would never fall for such a ruse as the empty promise for relief of his suffering. So she'd cut some corners and veiled his eyes, and now she had complete control of his mind. "That's better," Lady Morin cooed, stroking a finger under Rowen's neck. 

"Now tell me, my pet," she whispered, cheek pressed to his and lips brushing his ears, "who is the other sorceress that thwarts my efforts?"

"None of your damn business!" 

Amazed that the serum had worn off so fast, Morin applied a few more droplets to her fingertips and pressed them to Rowen's tightly sealed mouth. The liquid absorbed into his flesh, and he shuddered at the realization. "Her name, love?"

"Lady Ka—" He fought the drug with all of his might, but the Ronin could feel the name slipping through his lips. "Ka— Ka—"

"Come on now, Warrior. I don't have all day."

"Kayu—NO! I won't tell you! I won't! You can't control me anymore!"

__

Dammit! Lady Morin was losing patience fast. She cracked Rowen across the face with the back of her hand. "Listen here, you human piece of trash! I need the answers, and I need them now! Lord Yusaki shall not wait any longer. It's already been 5000 years. I'm tired of playing games with you humans. Now…" She grabbed his naked shoulder and squeezed until her talons had punctured the soft skin, embedding themselves in the tender muscle. Rowen quivered with the flashing pain, but tried to remain as cool as he could be. "Tell me the sorceress' name."

His eyes fixated on hers, and briefly the battle was moved from the physical plane to the intellectual. "Never." Red spittle flew from his lips and speckled the flawless ivory skin of Lady Morin. She roared with an untapped rage, withdrawing her nails so quickly that skin came shredding off with them. Wiping away the blood splotches from her face, Lady Morin streaked fresh gore from Rowen's shoulder unknowingly.

"Death is upon you, Celestial Warrior!" With that curse, the viper vanished into thin air.

@~~`~~~

Unagi Swamp was desolate region within the bounds of Fantasia Forest. No trees except the most rugged grew in the disgusting mud; and even those were gnarly and every bit as hideous as their surroundings, without leaf or life. Sharp brown grasses sprouted on tiny hills of earth, jutting up from steaming pools of liquefied dirt. The revolting pops of earthly gases belched forth throughout the murky setting, leaving behind a stench that stung the nostrils. 

Ryo perused the scene, shuddering at the thought of having to trek through the place. But Unagi Swamp was merely too expansive for him to just circle around it. That would take an extra day and a half he did not have. 

A new day was already beginning, Ryo knew, although the sun had yet to rise over the mountains. Judging from the look of the sky, the Ronin estimated the time of day between three or four in the morning. At least that was one advantage to coming into Unagi Swamp: Ryo could finally get a glimpse of the heavens, which had previously been masked by a dense layer of foliage. Briefly he thought of Rowen…

Ever so slowly, Ryo took some cautious steps forward, his feet instantly sinking to his ankles in lukewarm mud. The mushy stuff flooded his boots, creating an unpleasant squishing in them. Ryo tolerated it though, pressing onward directly through the gurgling marsh. The Ronin Warrior coughed on the concentrated, noxious gas in the air, searching for more breathable stuff. The dueling fumes mashed together, and snippets of bright white light flickered like lightning bugs as a result. 

Darkness still shrouded the area, blacking the opposite side of the forest. Shadows jumped and writhed in the sparkle of the moonlight, more alive than Ryo had hoped. He wondered what monster he would encounter next. Lady Kayura had assured him that there would be Four Trials. If he could overcome all of them and make it to Faerie Heath, all he had left to do was gain the faeries' hard-earned trust and he would meet the empress. 

Ryo supposed the gnome was the first test, and he had passed that one okay. But he still had three others upcoming and no idea what they would be. 

Needless to say, he was wary. The Ronin stalked through the swamp, eyeing everything with suspicion from the ghoulish trees to the mud right before him. 

Something didn't feel right. Although Ryo had felt watched from the moment he had stepped up to the forest edge, nothing compared to the uneasiness that swept through him then. It was as if he wasn't simply being watched but analyzed, also. Ryo could almost feel the stale breath of his hunter burning upon the back of his neck. Once again he scanned the terrain, but all that he could see were the globs of muddy concoctions and sparse plant growth. However, the feeling persisted. 

The deeper he was drawn into the bowels of Unagi Swamp, the more intense Ryo's emotions became. With every step further into the soggy realm, the prickling on the back of his neck intensified to a sharp biting. Yes, something was wrong. Ryo withdrew one katana, resting it at his side… for the moment. At least if he was attacked, he would be somewhat ready.

He was only a quarter of the way into the swamp when he heard the growl. It was low, barely audible above the burbling swamp waters, but it was there. It had a vicious sound to it, and it was definitely otherworldly. The snarl of a warthog came to Ryo's mind. He had no way of telling where the sound came from, for the swamp manipulated noise as it chose. 

The warrior stopped dead in his tracks, surveying the scene yet again. There seemed to be no change, no movement. But that didn't mean something was out there. His sword quivered with excitement, and slowly Ryo drew it before himself protectively. He waited for the creature to make its move. 

Nothing happened. Surely, it was smarter than that. If it were watching Ryo this intensely, it would have known better than to come charging at a man with a formidable sword guarding him. For the time being, that thought alone would keep it at a distance. But for how much longer? If the critter was clever enough to assess the danger of the sword, then it was clever enough to think of a way around the sword. That realization left Ryo unnerved. This beast would be prepared for someone who was capable enough to make it through the entrance of Fantasia Forest. This beast was designed to hunt effectively the type of hard-nosed humans who would make it to its swampy homeland in one piece.

Tentatively, Ryo stepped forward. Nothing happened. Keeping the sword drawn tight against his body, he proceeded—always watching, always alert.

He heard the trembling bellow of his hunter. It was louder this time and much more pronounced. And it was _closer_. Then he heard it again, only this time it was sharper. Then one more time, higher-pitched and more of a whine than a growl. In quick succession there were two more snarls, and it was at that point Ryo determined there was more than one monster stalking him. That left him with an unknown number of opponents.

While carefully skirting around the exposed root of looming tree, Ryo did not see the dirty water stir before him. Instead he focused all his concentration into avoiding the sudden graveyard of dead tree limbs. Suddenly, he tripped, fell to his knees in the muck and simultaneously lost the grip on his katana. "Shit!" Ryo roared as he watched the blade sail ten feet in the air and land several meters beyond his reach.

Vulnerability was instant. Without his Wildfire sword, he felt naked. Normally, he wouldn't think twice about just getting up and continuing on, but Fantasia Forest was a place where you _needed_ a weapon—the bigger, the better. 

The shadow creatures reacted at once. To Ryo's horror, a slimy dome began to emerge from the mud puddle in front of his face, dirty water and algae sliding down the glistening exterior. Instantly, the Ronin clambered to his feet, glancing around him. Four other brown domes poked the surface, utterly smooth craniums developing with each passing second. The tops of pointed ears sliced the surface. Even under the blackened water, Ryo could see the glow of the eyes. God, they were monstrous eyes. Solid emerald green. There were no pupils, no whites to the eyes. Just two pulsing green orbs of light without eyelids. They possessed a hungry quality to them, and Ryo could see his reflection in their unearthly light. Next, the long slit of a mouth appeared, gaping like a great white shark's but with double the teeth. Row after row of nasty incisors lined the jaw. The throaty growls issued all around him. Soon their entire bodies had been revealed, and Ryo knew instantly what they were. 

Goblins.

By the looks of their frail but surprisingly muscular bodies, Ryo knew without a doubt that these were the goblins about which Lady Kayura had told him. She had said that goblins always traveled—and hunted—in packs. They had no fears other than excessive light, which explained their disturbing eyes. Their vocal chords were underdeveloped, so he could not communicate with them as with the gnome. "The goblins of Fantasia Forest are primitive but remarkably efficient killers. I hope you don't run into them, Ryo of Wildfire—for your sake." Kayura's words echoed in his head. 

"Fan-freaking-tastic," Ryo mumbled as he stared at the Big One, presumably the leader. Slime dripped off the bridge of its crooked, hooked beak of a nose. Inwardly, the Ronin cringed. These things were beyond ugly—and beyond just dangerous, too. With that thought, Ryo's subarmor snapped on again.

Sensing they were about to enter attack mode, Ryo lunged for his Wildfire sword, hoping to reach the handle before the goblins could reach him. The Big One screeched like a banshee, alerting the others to ensnare the escaping prey. From behind, Ryo was grabbed by the ankle, and in seconds he was lying face first in a heap of decaying plant matter. 

While he was momentarily blinded, the Big One made several grunts and snorts, using a language the Ronin had never come in contact with before. Ryo tried to clear the muck out of his eyes, but two of the monsters were sitting on his back, pinning his hands under their weight. He struggled uselessly, cursing the goblins into oblivion. But they could not understand him, as he had expected.

The Big One hunched over and sniffed Ryo curiously, licking his chops with delight. A horrendous odor spilled forth from its lips, washing a terrible taste down Ryo's throat. "It's called a toothbrush," he muttered sardonically as he pondered over possible escape plans in his head. 

Ryo needed his weapon—badly. But he estimated it was still two meters beyond his reach. There would be too little time for him to fight his way free and make it to the sword and THEN kill the five goblins.

One of the smaller goblins nipped at his exposed neck, just to taste a bit of blood. Although the pain lasted only momentarily, he knew the next bite would not hold the same passiveness. The next bite would most likely be the killing bite. 

Suddenly, sticky fingers were all over him, massaging his skin and head. A shiver rippled through Ryo's veins. One monster pinched his cheek, feeling for the scrumptious meat beneath. Another knocked on his coat of armor, requesting—through several shrieks—that the Big One take it off so they could finally eat. From the sounds of their leader, it seemed perplexed as well. It rapped on the solid metal with a bony knuckle. 

The Big One cried angrily, hungry ferocity in its depths. Ryo waited to make a move. He waited for the pressure on his back to let up. He waited. Minutes passed, and the leader was still whining. The others apparently halted for orders, for they no longer explored his body with the previous eagerness. Still Ryo waited. 

One of the goblins shifted its weight from Ryo's back to his butt. The other unknowingly eased its hold on Ryo's wrists. 

In a flash, the Ronin shed his captors and was up and running—blindly, but running nonetheless. He swiped madly at his eyes, clearing his vision only somewhat but yet enough for him to catch a glimpse of the Wildfire katana. The Big One yelped and raced after him on all fours. Ryo could feel its presence gaining on him, but he tried to ignore it as he came within a yard of the sword.

He plunged forward, adrenaline feeding his quickened pace. He just hoped it was enough to keep him ahead of the goblins. Swamp muck sucked at the boots of his armor, but Ryo refused to succumb to the ravenous marsh. The other goblins were coming up fast behind the Big One, fevered purrs seeping from their mouths along with saliva. Ryo snagged his toe on a root and struggled to keep his balance. He faltered, wavering in the air. He knew he was going to fall. He knew it was unavoidable. But he also knew he couldn't fail, not when he was getting so close to the heath, so he pulled his legs under his body at the last possible second, executing a somersault on the marsh surface. Ryo landed inches from the handle of the katana, and without missing a single beat, he snatched it up.

Just as the Big One was about to pounce onto the warrior's back, he swiveled around and thrust the sword forward. The goblin fell onto the unyielding metal, Ryo's glimmering savior protruding from the creature's hunched back. It screamed pitifully, the odor of Death spewing from its gaping maw. The other goblins watched with unexpressive eyes as their leader was shish-kabobbed. The moment its last breath escaped its misshapen nose, the lanterns in its head dimmed from the brilliant jade to onyx stones. The others remained watching, staring, waiting. 

Ryo stood up, frowned menacingly at them and yanked the blade of his sword out of the corpse. The others glared blankly at him. The hunger had left their eyes, and now there was simply nothing there but plain green jewels, frightening and possessive. Ryo shoved the Wildfire sword toward them, and instantly they jumped back, their bodies slowly sinking back into the swamp from whence they came.

Watching them warily, the Ronin Warrior kept the sword pointed at them until the tops of their skulls had vanished beneath the surface. Although he was uncomfortable with the thought of not knowing where his opponents had vanished to, Ryo backed off, gathering what few possessions of his were left behind. His supply pack had been raided by the goblins, and much of his food rations had been devoured or lost in the folds of the swamp. But at least he was alive and whole; however, not without a handful of bruises. He never sheathed the sword again.

@~~`~~~

"Jesus, Lord in Heaven!" Cye wailed from the living room. "What the hell happened to Rowen?"

Sage and Anubis sat in Rowen's bedroom, tending to the stricken Kayura. She was still in the midst of a very deep—and much needed—rest. "Stay with her, Anubis," Sage ordered as he got up to investigate the commotion in the other room. "What's the matter?"

"Need I even tell you?" Cye queried smartly as his fellow Ronin entered the room. 

There on the sofa rested Rowen. He remained unconscious (that much had not changed), but now he was coated in a dark layer of his own blood. Hideous stains marked the leather cushions. Rowen's clothes were absolutely soaked through with the sanguine liquid. Welts and malicious cuts covered nearly his entire torso and face. Trickles of blood emanated from the corners of his mouth, and one eye was so badly bruised that it was swollen up like a golf ball. A puddle of vermilion formed on the floor under Rowen's dangling hand, a revolting slash in his wrist staring wickedly at Sage. "Oh my god! Rowen!" 

Kale was already in the bathroom seeking out bandages, gauze and other first aid necessities. "Hurry!" Sehkmet called from the living room. The former Dark Warlord hustled through the cabinets, gathering the last of the essentials, and hightailed it back to the couch. There, the other Ronins and Warlords anxiously awaited Kale to distribute the medicines. Cye snatched some iodine out of the Warlord's hand and applied it generously to a vicious scratch above Rowen's eyebrow. "Man, where is Kayura when you need her?" Kento mumbled as he bandaged some his friend's ruptured skin.

"Sleeping in the bedroom," Sage informed. Halo looked worriedly on his best friend. How did this happen? No one could have entered the apartment Rowen without Sage or Anubis noticing.

"Well, this is no time for a nap!" Sehkmet snapped. 

"It's not like she chose to just up and go to bed," Sage retorted in defense of the woman who had helped so much in the passing day. "Anubis fed her some information that her brain was not ready to process, and then bam! she passed out."

Mumbling under his breath, Kale said, "Not good. We're dropping like flies."

Kento overheard Kale, looked to Dais incriminatingly, and the Warlord turned away, disgusted with himself. Upon noticing the glare, Cye stared hard at his best friend. "Quit it, Kento. We can't start turning on each other now!"

"Sorry," Kento whispered to the spider man, and although the apology was issued, Dais kept his face hidden from the others. "Come on, Dais," the orange Ronin insisted. "I needed some help bandaging Rowen's head anyway." Eventually, the Warlord turned to offer assistance, but the self-loathing was an ever-present aura surrounding him. Kento instantly regretted establishing it there.

A short while passed before anyone said anything. Each person was engaged in his own task: swabbing one cut or wrapping another. The warriors industriously attended to Rowen, silently praying that he would pull out of his trance okay.

Sage could barely focus on anything but the gory sight before him. All he saw was the blood. So very much of it. Red and oozing. Staining everything around him. Sage's world turned crimson, and he was washed away on a sea of blood that dumped into an ocean of it. And every drop of it belonged to Rowen. His best friend's visage loomed over the open, brewing sea, a ghastly mourning sun. His eyes cried sullen tears of blood that stirred the ruby waters into a fitful rage. Sage was adrift in the middle of it all, in a life raft on a sea of death. He searched for land, and his eyes fell upon a mountainous region in the distance. Immediately, he rowed the boat in that direction, all the while under Rowen's thoughtful stare. After what seemed like ages, the raft touched land and Sage clambered out. To his astonishment, there was a blood-red path under his feet. He recognized it instantly: the cryptic message written on the bloody stones. But this time there was one more word to the phrase. "Venture down my way, Ronin. Peace awaits those who have the courage to follow me blindly. I alone am your savior. Rowen…" Rowen's name was printed on every brick in the path all the way into oblivion. As far as Sage could see, the road lead into the far off mountains, and every one of those stones had the name Rowen scrawled in it. Every one. A message, but from whom?

Suddenly Sage was aware that someone was shaking him wildly. His eyes flew open to find himself back in the living room, with the other Ronins and Warlords staring concernedly at him. "Jesus, man!" Cye scolded as he relinquished his grip on Sage's shoulders. "We thought you'd been taken from us, too. Don't you ever do that to us again."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his head swelling with the dark memory of his dream. "I don't know what came over me. One minute I'm fixing up Rowen, and the next I'm in this gloomy world where everything was blood-covered. My god, you should have seen this place! It was beyond comprehension. And the road. Oh, that road! It was back again, but it was changed."

The others glared at him as if he were a madman. But Sage knew he was not crazy. No, now he was a messenger. "What are you _talking_ about?" Kento said, a touch of humor in his voice.

"The road! The road!" he shouted madly, as if the others should know what he was speaking of.

"What road?" Kale demanded.

"The crimson road, the one that leads into the mountains. The one with Rowen's name in every brick. The one with the message. You know!"

"No," Sehkmet said, shaking his head, "we don't. You said yourself this was in another world. A dark world."

Kale smiled slightly with the thought of his darkness. "Tell me about it, Sage of Halo. Maybe I can help."

Sage tried desperately to explain this scarlet realm to Kale and the group, but they could not grasp what he was saying. On and on he rambled about the strange ocean and the even stranger path; however, the others simply could not understand him. When Sage came to the part about the inscription in the stones, Dais most of all sat intrigued. A mystery, a code. Dais liked those. 

"Sounds to me like this is a message for Rowen," Cye commented once Sage had concluded his explanation. "But if it is, how are we supposed to give it to him?"

Sehkmet looked to Rowen then asked, "And whom are we supposed to tell him it's from?"

A door opened behind Sage, and he turned to see who had just emerged from Rowen's room. Lady Kayura waltzed in with her usual authoritative air, but the dark bags under her eyes made her look frail instead of omnipotent. "What's going on?" she yawned, confused by her surroundings.

"You're awake," Kento said.

"Yes, thank you for that startling piece of information."

Kento sagged in his leather chair. "Why's everyone always got to pick on me?"

"Why not?" Cye laughed and the rest of them chorused in shortly, reveling in the light moment. "Sorry," Kayura whispered sleepily. "What'd I miss?" Kale motioned to Rowen, and the Lady drew in a deep breath. "Oh, Rowen of Strata! How did this happen?"

"You're guess is as good as ours, Lady," Sage stated dolefully. 

"You just found him like this?" They nodded. "And no one could have sneaked in and done this?" They nodded again. "Very well. Then that leaves only one way for this atrocity to have been committed. Morin is playing with his soul on her own turf."

Sage was jolted out of his seat. "Who? You found out who did this?" A great murmur rose throughout the room as each warrior chattered excitedly over the news.

"Calm down," Kayura ordered. "The news, though in some respects relieving, is actually anything but." She motioned for Sage to have a seat while she took center stage. Her audience waited patiently for her to draw in a breath and begin. "I'm afraid that I know whom we're up against, and although it's a scary thought for us, she is worse than Talpa."

"She!" Kento blurted. "A woman did this to Rowen?"

Lady Kayura cleared her throat. "Not exactly. 'She' is a Dualar, which means 'she' is actually a dragon. The form we see is the actual Dualar, a race of people who once populated all of Japan. Dualars could take into their bodies the spirits of dragons, but they don't do it willingly. You see, once the dragon's spirit is absorbed into the body of the Dualar, the Dualar's own spirit is imprisoned by the dragon. So there are essentially two souls in one body; however, one is dominant and the other is dominated."

"But why would a dragon want to possess a human body?" Dais queried. 

"The power. Dualars augment the power of a normal dragon tenfold, which then allows a dragon to do things it could not do in the typical dragon form. For instance, magic. Dragons are far too big and bulky to create delicate magic. Therefore, they need to find another, more agile form. Also, in the host body, dragons have few limitations. Because Dualars are not entirely human to begin with, they have a much longer life span—say several hundred years longer. When combined with the ancient dragons' blood, they are nearly immortal. Worst of all, they never travel alone. Every Dualar, when playing host to a Japanese dragon soul, has a partner, mainly because Japanese dragons tend to travel in pairs."

"Excuse me," Cye butted in from the corner of the living room, "but who is this Morin? You mentioned the name earlier. How do you know of her, Lady Kayura?"

The sorceress exhaled, wishing she could drift away on the breezes. _Here we go_… "Lady Morin is her official name, and she was key advisor and court sorceress to Lord Yusaki."

"Who…" Cye began again, but the Lady stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"We'll get to him later on. As of now he's is not of whom we should be wary. Lady Morin, once she had assumed control of a Dualar's body, proceeded to climb her way up from the lower ranks of Lord Yusaki's army to his high court. There she insinuated herself into the structure of the empire to become his right-hand woman. Lord Yusaki went through all his battle tactics first with Lady Morin, and he never did anything without her approval. Not that she was more powerful than he was; however, it was rumored that he had been taken by her beauty. Little did he know that Lady Morin's dominant soul was a male dragon from his lowly army." The six men snickered at the thought in spite of the grim situation. 

"Anyway," Kayura continued, casting a warning glance at them, "Eventually, Lord Yusaki's tyrannical rule was violently concluded when a band of country peasants led by the then fledgling sorcerer, Lord Talpa, staged a revolt and cast Yusaki's soul into Hell. In a rage, Lady Morin and her best friend, a dragon named Rantach, stormed Talpa's home base, killing most of his battalion. Only three men and Talpa escaped with their lives. Among the dead was Talpa's mentor (yes, even Talpa had a mentor!), Lord Osumi, the radically evil man who had originally called Lord Yusaki down from the throne of the gods! Talpa, as an act of revenge, risked his life to conjure a realm where Lady Morin and Rantach would live in suspended animation, so to speak. They were imprisoned in this forbidden world for 5000 years, until the day you Ronins destroyed Talpa."

"But, Kayura, that was over four years ago!" Kento exclaimed, disbelieving all that he had heard. "What the hell have they been doing all this time?"

"Maybe there was delay on the spell that kept them asleep until recently. Magic isn't always precise, you know. Or maybe they've been preparing."

Sage didn't like the way Lady Kayura had said that. "Preparing." Something wasn't right about it. Her tone was ominous. There was silence for a moment, and only Halo dared to speak. "Preparing for what?" Sage felt as though he had just sealed their doom with that question.

"To resurrect Lord Yusaki."

Sehkmet shook his head. "No, no! Not possible. I remember when Talpa used to tell us the story of Yusaki and Morin. I remember now. But the Lord is dead, banished to Hell by Talpa's and Osumi's own hands. There's no way!"

Dais shuddered with the thought that passed through him. "But from what I remember of Talpa's story, there is… one way. Damn near impossible, but I suppose if a 5000 year-old Dualar and dragon can come back to life in modern day Toyama, I guess they could pull this off too."

"And what way would that be?" inquired Sehkmet. 

"The Necronomicon," Anubis answered from the doorway of Rowen's bedroom. Apparently he'd been standing there the whole time without anyone's knowledge. Everyone turned to face the specter floating a foot above the floor. "The blasted Necronomicon."

"Oh, not more history!" Kento whined. "We went through so much already, I think my head's about to split! Can't we just go rescue Rowen now?"

"No," Kayura shouted. "Ryo of Wildfire has to finish his job in Fantasia Forest. There is no other way. I can't possibly defeat Lady Morin. I'm not that strong."

Anubis drifted into the living room, joining Lady Kayura in the center of the circus ring. "I'm sorry, Kento of Hardrock, but part of being a Ronin Warrior is learning about your enemy and ways to defeat him… or her… or it. Whatever. You need to know this last bit of information. About the Necronomicon."

Kento sighed wearily, and the rest of the group commiserated. Anubis continued. "Look, this is important. The Necronomicon has the capability to bring the dead back to life as well as retrieve souls from Hell. For eons it has been guarded by an all-powerful, immortal monk within an unknown cave in a forbidden region of Tibet. How the Lady stole it and where she is now remains a mystery Lady Kayura and I have yet to solve. But at least our goal is clear. We must retrieve the Necronomicon, kill Lady Morin and her accomplice Rantach and stop this God-awful resurrection!

"Now, Kento of Hardrock, our history lesson is finished!" With that dramatic speech, the room fell silent.


	7. Separate Quests

Chapter Six—Separate Quests ****

Chapter Six—Separate Quests

The dragon settled himself outside of the forest edge, his eyes scanning the dark perimeter warily. With his expert vision, Rantach could see the hundred eyes staring back at him, most likely with more fear than they had ever felt. And Rantach made sure that was the kind of presence preceded him. He wanted others to be afraid; he wanted others to shrink back at his form. Simultaneously, the eyes blinked in confusion then vanished in a millisecond. Blackness filled the empty space, and Rantach preferred it; less trouble for him to encounter. Lady Morin wanted the implosion ingredients immediately, which technically meant five years ago.

Grudgingly the belabored beast penetrated the forest border and plodded too slowly through a bramble bush and tumbled then into a mess of choking vines dangling from the canopy. "I'm too big for this job," the dragon grumbled as he slashed at his living restraints with his knife-like tail. 

Rantach went over the essentials for the Lady's spell: a glob of swamp muck from Unagi Swamp and a Moonlighter Faerie's wings. Although there were only two ingredients to the potion, the second would be next to impossible to get because of the Moonlighters' numerous precautions taken to ensure their safety. The dragon would be lucky if he even got a chance to smell one!

Finally, after three hours of lumbering through dense woodland Rantach got fed up. He roared with a stomach full of fire, setting the surrounding trees into a wall of flames. The heat warmed the cold-blooded creature, and the sight of unnatural death everywhere eased his mind. Suddenly the path widened and Rantach was free to travel unhindered. 

__

Get the goo, the crimson dragon urged himself, _then the wings, and you'll be out in the clear, with a mistress to favor you!_

Rantach smiled broadly, saliva oozing from the awkward expression, as he watched sizzling embers of fire fall at his feet like rose petals at a ceremony to the gods. Yes, with his power and presence, who could afford to stand in his way? 

@~~`~~~

An hour later and light had yet to make its way over the horizon to illuminate the steaming woodland, so Ryo remained relatively blind to his environment. He had just escaped a terrifying encounter with swamp goblins, an experience that left his heart racing with an unnatural excitement, and to his dismay the adventure was no where near concluded. Ryo hadn't even seen the first evidence of the Moonlighter Faeries, so he didn't have the slightest clue as to how close he was to them.

Bumbling through the darkness, the Ronin came to a fork in the barely beaten path. One road split to the left and one to the right, each as foreboding as the other. Since neither trail lead directly east, Ryo was at a crux in his mission. How was he to tell which one he was to follow when he had so little information on the journey itself? "Well, when all else fails…" he whispered. "Eenie meenie…" Although he felt childish and stupid for doing it, the children's rhyme was his only hope—slim though it was. Finally, the Fates had decided he should take the road to the right; but Ryo wondered if he should listen to them. After all, in the past couple of hours they had played some awfully cruel jokes on him.

Warily taking the first few steps toward the end of his quest, the Ronin breathed deep the steamy air that embraced him, and immediately his mind slipped to Mia. God, she'd been angry when he accepted his mission; but what else could he do for a friend who at one time had in fact given up his soul to the enemy in order to save Ryo's petty life? Mia couldn't understand his duties to his Ronin brethren, not when she hadn't experienced the closeness that they shared. 

No, she would never come to grips with his twisted Destiny, and he couldn't rightly expect her to. It wasn't fair to her and it sure as hell wasn't fair to him. Besides, Ryo knew very well the dangers of his job—that someday he would fail to come home to his precious Mia. Maybe that's what she had realized in the apartment; maybe Mia had finally comprehended that as much as she loved Ryo and as much as she wanted to settle down into a normal life with him, for all that wishing and hoping it wasn't meant to be. "It wasn't meant to be," Ryo croaked out through lips tight with pain.

Thoroughly disheartened, the warrior slinked down the path with his head bent like a flower wilted from lack of its necessary sunlight. The ever-lightening forest encroached on him, trees grappling with each other at a chance to pick Ryo apart. The bleakness of the world around him slapped the Ronin across his face with the force of sledgehammer. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach and the gloomy colors swirled around him in a sickening dance. "Mia… Oh, Mia," he groaned, pressing his palm to his forehead. Things would never be okay again.

A snapping twig jerked Ryo out of his sullen mood, forcing him to once again be painfully aware of the dark world around him; even his dreary reverie was a welcomed escape from the untamed jungle. Again he drew his katana tight to his chest, pausing, waiting for his enemy to make the first move. "I know you're there!" he shouted into emptiness. "I've dealt with plenty of your stinking kind today, and if you don't leave now, you'll die! I'm a fierce warrior with a quest, and nothing and no one shall stand in my way. I strongly advise that you step aside!"

There was silence, then an odd rumble in the dense bramble beside him. Although Ryo felt little fear on the inside, gooseflesh prickled his skin under the layer of crimson armor. He could almost feel the rank breath of the monster pluming down the collar of his armor, tainting his very body. "Show yourself or run!"

An abrupt howl pierced the air and split the sky into two colors, glaring vermilion and burning orange. The heavens opened up at the eerie beckoning, leaving Ryo with the strange feeling as though he were transported to another realm—a place ruled by beasts. He saw no sign of the creature that stalked him, but that didn't really surprise him; they never did show themselves until they went after their dinner. Ryo's eyes narrowed as he scanned for his assailant. _Boy, this routine is getting old!_ he sighed wearily. He waited patiently, his muscles tensed and ready to spring into action.

When nothing happened Ryo elected to move on. Up ahead a patch of light—actual light—pierced through the thick canopy and illuminated a small section of a deer (or something like it) path. Ryo ran toward it and basked in the wonderful glow. The feel of the sun, the warmth of its rays soothed his travel-hardened heart, and for the first time in 24 hours he felt human again, like he had a soul. Fantasia Forest had drained his life force from him, leaving him withered inside, but now the mother sun had set him free. A joy spread through him, and suddenly he wasn't worried about the lurking beasts or the darkness or Mia or Rowen or anything. There was just the warrior and the sun and a peace unparalleled. 

Naturally, that's when the monster chose to attack. Or not…

Standing there before the warrior was a striking woman of about 20. Her hip-length red hair swayed with the rhythm of her hips, shimmering even in the encroaching darkness. Although she wore the tattered remnants of a dress, it did nothing to diminish her beauty, nor the regal nature of the outfit. Fantastic, hand-beaded slippers, though heavily worn, retained a rich allure. Her cornflower blue eyes gazed at him with a weariness that suggested she'd been lost for days in the forest; but they also looked on Ryo with awe, as if he were some deity. Her lightly freckled face smiled gently at first, but the smile turned into an ear-to-ear grin. But for every ounce of loveliness she possessed, there was something about her Ryo didn't like.

"Excuse me, good sir!" she shouted excitedly, racing to his side to place a delicate hand smooth as marble on his arm. Gooseflesh prickled his skin again as he stared at the gold bracelet stamped with a seal of a roaring dragon around her wrist. "I'm ever so lost, and a horrible monster has been hunting me for days! You look like a strong, noble knight. Could you help an ever so helpless maiden find her way out of this beastly forest?" She squeezed his arm. "Oh please?" 

__

Something's not right, he warned himself. "Look, ma'am, I'm on an urgent quest, and I don't have the time to see you out of here." He stared at her with sharp eyes.

Her brilliant face plummeted with a countenance of hatred. "But I asked ever so nicely."

"I know, and I feel horrible for doing this to a lovely lady such as yourself, but I simply must complete my mission before time runs out." Ryo shook her grip loose and stepped forward in hopes of forcing her to back off. Unfortunately she did not budge.

"Then would you mind too terribly if I tagged along? I'm scared to death. I've seen creatures that you would not believe—oh, ever so horrible things that could kill you with but a glance. After all, I am but a poor wench lost in this awful jungle. I beg of you, valiant knight, please allow my presence to follow you. My father will be more than grateful to you for my safe return."

The Ronin was getting antsy, with the attentions of the gorgeous woman becoming more obsessive every moment. She had placed her hand back on his forearm, stroking the armor in desperation. "Look, miss, I just can't have you along with me. Where I'm headed in the forest is even more dangerous than the section we're in now. Here now, don't cry. Simply follow this trail to the big swamp, cross it (during the day, mind you) and continue following the trail on the other side. That will take you out of here."

The maiden reached back and slapped Ryo across the face with the back of her hand. "How dare you, lowly knight! Do you know to whom you speak? Princess Kinuyo, that's who! The whole kingdom must be in an ever so terrible panic without me, and here I thought you were the search party! Well, as your ruler, wretched warrior, I demand you take me back to my palace, then you will be dealt with for your rudeness. Kneel, I say. Kneel, damn you!" Princess Kinuyo smacked him again to get him to obey, knocking around his already swimming brain. With one more strike, Ryo was driven to his knees, his head bowing with pain. "That's better. Now, escort your princess out of these woods."

__

Princess? he thought to himself. _Japan hasn't had princesses for centuries! This lady's delusional, but I better play along._ "My humblest apologies, your highness, for any discourteous behavior on my part; however, as I said before, I have a sacred quest to finish, and I will not deviate from the assigned course." At that moment he glanced up to see the fire in the princess' eyes.

"Insolent warrior! I will have you hanged for this!" 

Suddenly, and almost thankfully, a snarl originated from some nearby shrubbery. Both knight and princess glanced to the source, surprise evident on their faces. "Oh god! I know that sound. It's that ever so horrible monster from before, the one that's been chasing me. Please, take me with you. I'll die here!"

Ryo sighed, but he knew what he had to do. With a swift movement, he grabbed the princess' hand and dragged her through the woods, his katana at ready in his other hand. "Run," he ordered with the casual manner of an experienced warrior. 

Just as they broke into a fast jog the creature burst from the underbrush, slobbering and growling with a primitive lust for meat. Ryo swore under his breath as he glanced back at the hideous visage of a thargon. Its streamlined body twisted elegantly beneath the forest canopy, stripes of metallic gray fur against the ebony backdrop glinting in the slivers of morning sun. A sleek wolf-like face grinned obscenely at him, but the rest of the body appeared as that of a jaguar. With every stride Ryo and Kinuyo took, the thargon gained three. The speed of the creature was nearly unimaginable, and Ryo knew sooner or later (sooner) it would be within pouncing distance and he would be dead along with the princess.

"Faster!" Ryo urged, losing his battle nerve. "Faster, Kinuyo!" But no matter how quickly they ran, he knew they couldn't escape. _I just have to reach a wider clearing_, he remarked. If he could get to an open space, then he could counterattack the thargon; but not within the surrounding vegetation, for there wouldn't be enough space to maneuver. "Faster."

At the worst possible moment, the princess stumbled over a root, her wild strawberry hair flying around her. She screeched in terror and howled in pain. "Ryo! Help me!" When she turned her head, she noticed the thargon charging straight for her. One ear-piercing wail filled the atmosphere as the wolf/jaguar sailed through the blackness, over her head and angled right for the Ronin. 

Caught off guard, Ryo flipped head-over-heels and rolled across the earth, the thargon on top of him the entire time. Even through his magical armor he felt the talons scratching and clawing to break inside. The wolf face loomed like a summer moon over him, animal spittle showering onto Ryo's face. The teeth snapped at his head, and the warrior's life flashed before his eyes in a colorful, if not grim film. As it projected the most recent events, that's when Ryo realized his Wildfire sword in his hand. He could barely move his wrist to aim for the monster, but he took advantage of what he could and angled the katana into the ribs of the thargon. Yowling in agony, the beast swayed and clumsily staggered into the woods. 

"Oh, fantastic, heroic knight!" the princess exclaimed as she stood up from the ground and clapped her hands in triumph. "What a feat! You have proven your worth to me again."

"Look, Kinuyo—ah, Princess Kinuyo—but the wound's not fatal. Once the thargon heals, it will be hunting again. And that's something that puzzles me."

"What are you mumbling about, silly warrior?" Ryo narrowed his eyes at the beautiful princess, as though he could find the answer in her face. "You're beginning to frighten me."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're just now being scared? Maybe I misjudged you, your Highness. I suppose to survive in this horrible woodland you would need to be as tough as nails, but I can't imagine you stomping bravely around here with your head held high."

"Shows you how ever so wrong you are about me, knight. Well, that's bizarre indeed. I don't believe I caught your name."

Ryo smiled and he couldn't resist. "That's because I didn't throw it." 

Kinuyo glowered at him with a look that read: "That was just plain bad." He blushed and muttered, "Sorry, but one of my friends once said that and it slipped out. My name is Ryo Sanada, by the way." Suddenly he bowed before the princess, placing a kiss on her hand, which was strangely ice-cold. "But of course her Highness needs no introductions."

The redhead awarded his praise with a glorious smile as bright as the sun. "I see you do have some manners after all. Tell me, fair knight, under whose rule did you live exactly? I shall have father see that this lord better educates his warband. The provinces are in a sad shape when their warriors cannot even recognize the face of their princess."

That was when the warning signal began blinking in Ryo's mind. Several things about Princess Kinuyo had seemed off from their meeting, but it was all coming together. "Ryo, Ryo? Are you listening to me?"

"Your Highness, perhaps it is best that you continue on with me as your escort. Dangerous things lurk in these parts." Meanwhile, he kept his real reasons for her accompaniment to himself.

She clasped her hands together in joy. "Oh thank the heavens above! I'm finally going to get out of this ever so creepy forest. Lead away, my valiant Ryo." With a nod they were off. 

@~~`~~~

It may as well have been raining, the day was so dreary. Although the sky was clear and beautiful, a vast polished sapphire above her, Mia saw no light. Gray, dark, cold as the headstone before her. She felt as though she were spiraling into a great abyss without anyone to care. And who would? They were all dead or lost or gone. No one wanted her anymore. No one loved her.

Mia stared unblinking at the steel gray slab in front of her. The words, though carved neatly into the stone, blurred through her tears of anguish. Her trembling hand reached out to trace the letters slowly and with the love of a mother.

"Yuli," she murmured to the tombstone. "Oh, Yuli. I let you down, honey. I let you down, and I'm so sorry. Everyday is a reminder of you, of how I failed to protect you. Oh god, why didn't I pay attention? Why didn't I keep my eyes on you? You were just an innocent little boy, too curious for your own good. I knew that, too, dammit! I knew that, too!" Mia broke into heaving sobs, her whole body shaking with the tremors of her pain. "And I didn't pay attention, didn't pay attention. Now look where I am. Without love, without hope. Without you and Ryo. Because I never pay attention, and I never read the signs!" Touching the smooth face of the stone, Mia fell into despair. "I messed things up, honey, and I don't know how to fix them. If you were only here to help me…"

The clouds swooped down from the sky and enveloped the sobbing young woman. Mists of pearl and steel surrounded her, tugging on her clothes and pulling her hair. Mia simply stood there and stared blankly at the horizon as if nothing were happening and nothing mattered.

Little Yuli came running up to Mia's side, arms waving wildly in the air as White Blaze playfully chased him. "Help me, Mia! White Blaze is gonna tag me!" The little boy grabbed her skirt and hid behind it, laughing and giggling the whole time. "Now you're in for it, White Blaze! You'll never get me. I'm the king of tag!"

White Blaze growled in a way that suggested he was groaning. Mia smiled warmly, but shooed Yuli away. "Now get out there and play fair and square, Yuli, so I can finish my gardening. Run along and finish your game of tag." The little boy tugged on her skirt and frowned, sticking his tongue out at her. "Stay away from the road. White Blaze, look out for him!" 

Not more than a moment later she had forgotten about the boy and his tiger, her attentions centered on weeding the flowerbed. The boys were out training, per usual, so there wasn't too much else to do around the house. She lost her senses in the wonderful scent of the magnolia trees and the dazzling colors of a dozen varieties of wildflowers. The sun rained glorious rays of gold down upon her, warming her back with a pleasant feeling. Everything that day simply felt good. 

Carefully, Mia extracted one tiny weed from the base of a purple flower and tossed it aside. She rubbed some soil between her fingers, relishing the odd sensation the action produced. Despite the occasionally sweaty work she was doing, it seemed every muscle in her body relaxed. She buried her hands in the dirt, scooping mounds of the brown earth out to make room for her first rose bush. 

With a tender grin Mia turned her attentions to the tiny plant nestled beside her in burlap cloth. Three petite blossoms sprouted from the stout branches on the bush. Miniature thorns grew dangerously all around the stem and leaves, notifying everyone not to mess with the seemingly innocent flower. That's why Mia loved this rose most of all, for its rugged toughness yet also for its striking beauty; it was how she tried to model herself. Gently removing the cloth from the base of the plant, she settled the flower into its new home, packing the soil around it lightly. "There, pretty one. Now, you grow up and be the most radiant flower in my garden."

"Hey, Mia!" Yuli yelped from down in the valley trees below the house. "Check out how high I am!" He waved his arms frantically to attract her attention.

"Yuli, now don't you go any higher! In fact, climb down right now before you break your neck!" She frowned a warning at him, but the boy just laughed musically—a defiant no. "Down now, as in this instant!"

"Ah, you're always such a spoil sport, Mia!" He stuck his tongue out at her and slowly began to descend from the branches. Mia returned to her gardening, satisfied that she had gotten her way. 

Abruptly a thunderous crack sizzled through the air, a dreadful sound that meant only one thing: a tree limb had snapped. Screaming before she was even sure what had happened, Mia spun round, breaking the delicate stem of her first rose bush. She raced down the slope into the green valley to see little Yuli—innocent Yuli—lying on his stomach, his head twisted at a frightening angle. White Blaze was howling with despair, Mia's terror-permeated shrieks chorusing in with him. 

She knelt down to the child, feeling for a pulse and searching for a sign of breathing. Nothing, the awful sensation of nothing—an irony in itself. She wailed at the accompanying white tiger, pleading for him to go get help. White Blaze understood everything and charged up toward the house, tracing the tracks of the Ronins. Meanwhile, Mia tried desperately to think of a way to revive the boy. She didn't want to leave him, but she needed to get to a phone and call the hospital. "Yuli!" she bellowed from the bottom of her soul. Tears dripped down from her eyes and splattered onto his dirt-smeared skin. "Oh please wake up. Hear my voice. Yuli, please!" Her own voice cracked like the sound of the branch and more tears sprung from the well in her eyes. She kissed his forehead and brushed his hair back from his face. Mia rocked herself forward and back, unsure of what would cure a broken neck. 

She wasn't exactly sure how long she'd been sitting beside the boy before she heard the sounds of the Ronins racing over the hill in full armor, all five crying in their own ways. She recalled vaguely Ryo's arms encircling her, begging her to "snap out of it." Trouble was, she didn't know where "it" was. Mia sorta just floated above everything on a plane that few knew existed, one where she could not feel. "No!" she screamed, wrenching out of his grip. "Lemme stay, lemme stay!" Sobbing again.

The Ronins lifted Yuli up, each one drowning in his sorrow. The impromptu funeral procession headed up to the house, where they packed into the cars and drove to the hospital. And there it was officially confirmed; Yuli was dead.

The next thing Mia remembered was the phone call to Yuli's parents. It was the second most horrific moment in her life. The agony, the grief, the overwhelming hate. Yes, it was an accident in most everyone's eyes, except three people's: Mia's and Yuli's parents'. They were so enraged they forbade Mia to attend Yuli's funeral, a thing that would haunt her eternally. The first time they saw her since the accident, they hardly looked her way. But during the brief moment that they did, the young woman saw a barely jailed contempt unlike any she had ever seen, even in Talpa, and it nearly knocked her off of her feet. Then, why should they look at her in any other way? Mia hadn't been paying attention to the little boy like she was trusted to do. She let everyone down, especially Yuli. She would never forgive herself. 

The mists rose, leaving Mia to stare again at the solemn gray stone. "Sorry, Yuli, I still don't have any roses for you yet. I planted a new bush in your honor, sweetie, so give it another year or so before the blossoms get big enough and pretty enough to cut. In the meantime, these will have to do…" The weary woman laid a bundle of red and white wildflowers at the base of the marker. "I'll see you next week, Yuli. The Ronins are having some trouble now. We all wish you were around to help us out, so lend us some of your trademark courage and strength, will you? I love you, Yuli." Mia kissed her fingertips and then pressed them against the headstone. 

She turned her back to the somber sight, biting back her tears as well as her pride as she took the road back to Sage and Rowen's place. 


	8. One Step Closer

Chapter Seven—One Step Closer ****

Chapter Seven—One Step Closer

Finally, the sun had risen from her bed and stretched lazily over the sky, with her long, multitudinous arms spreading above the world. Princess Kinuyo appeared even more glamorous in the gentle yellow light, her ivory skin melting into a golden hue, as though King Midas himself touched her. She was a petite statuette out of place in this mystical world, but then again, maybe not. Ryo still believed there was something off about the fair princess.

"This is the most beautiful day I've seen in forever!" she chirped, clinging to the warrior's arm. "My, I can't wait to see father. He must miss me ever so much. Boy, I never thought I'd hear the day I'd say that!" Kinuyo giggled and squeezed Ryo's arm tighter. "Where are we headed anyway?"

"To the home of the Moonlighter Faeries."

Kinuyo pressed her hands to her cheeks in shock. "Oh, not those wretched things! No, no, no! You can't take me there! They've caused nothing but trouble in my government since the Yusaki regime ended thousands of years before."

"Whoa, whoa, hold up, princess! What kind of trouble have they caused and why?"

"Stupid faeries. They come to court and pester father to get rid of these hunters and so forth. Then when father can't do anything about it, they take it as an act of war, so they start attacking the palace. Of course, we can't see them, and they injure a lot of our best soldiers. Very rude and disrespectful, if you ask me." After wagging her finger in distaste, Kinuyo placed her hands angrily on her hips and tapped her foot. 

Ryo smiled at her innocent irritation despite his wariness. "Your highness, I think it best to continue onward. I have to reach the Faerie Homeland by this afternoon if possible."

Although she wore a bitter countenance, Kinuyo relented and resumed a hold on his arm. "I guess if you must. Tell me, Ryo, for what is this dire quest you nearly left me in the woods?"

"Not for what but for whom. One of my best friends is in a deep coma, and the only way to bring him out of it is to beseech the empress of all faeries. My sorceress gave me directions there, and I can't come back without the cure. Lives are at stake, Princess. Will you help me?"

Ryo thought he saw a blush creep up on the young woman's cheeks, but she disguised it with a look of anger. "Dumb faeries. I still don't see how they can help!" But after a few more minutes of complaining, she quieted down as well as released her grip on Ryo's arm. 

The pair soon entered a bit of wild meadow, green and sunlit, unlike the rest of the forest. "How odd…" Ryo muttered, but explored the beautiful dell anyway. Meanwhile, Kinuyo was dancing about with the merriest of smiles pasted on her face. She basked in the warmth of the light, a thing she had not seen for however long she had played prisoner to the woods. Ryo had to admit to himself that the princess was certainly one of the loveliest women he had ever seen. Her hair possessed a soft sheen, nearly ethereal in appearance, and her bedazzling eyes had the same ghostly quality. There was a certain radiance about her, one he couldn't exactly put his finger on, but he was sure it was unique and rare. Kinuyo turned her shining face toward him. "She's bewitching," he murmured dreamily. Ryo promptly tripped on a stone and fell forward. 

The princess giggled and nudged him with her shoe, the beaded slipper pressing into his armored side. "Watch where you walk, silly warrior!" She laughed again before taking off for the stream on the edge of the glade, arms thrown up in the air with joy.

"Kinuyo—ah—Princess! Come back! You shouldn't run off!" he yelled after the frolicking woman. "Kinuyo! Please, wait!" Ryo scrambled to his feet and darted after her. 

She ignored his every call and continued chuckling until she'd reached the stream's bank. "Oh, relax! See, there is nothing to worry about." Suddenly apprehensive from Ryo's warning, the princess scanned the surrounding area, and upon finding nothing threatening, she dove her hands into the water, playfully splashing it upon her face and neck. "Come over here, Ryo! The water is ever so refreshing, and there are even little sylphs in it! Oh, how darling!" When the warrior was within the correct distance, Kinuyo scooped up a handful of the icy liquid and showered him with it. Although Ryo scowled at her, internally he was joining in her laughter and merriment. 

All of sudden he felt ashamed. Here he was, Ryo Sanada, Warrior of Wildfire, on a sacred and desperate quest to save his dear friend's life, and instead he was flirting with some alluring princess in a romantic field. What was he doing? _I'm a warrior with a job to finish and a woman I love!_ he scolded himself. _I can't be taking time out to play!_

"Cut it out, Kinuyo!" he snapped sharply, and instantly her smile drooped. "You promised to help me save my friend, and here you are distracting me, driving me away from my course. You led me astray on purpose! Damn you!" Ryo drew his katana, pressing the tip against the white flesh of her throat. "So that was your plan all along, demon. Now you shall face the consequences!" 

The lethal blade pushed urgently against Kinuyo's skin, not yet breaking the white surface but applying dangerous pressure. Ryo grinned wickedly. The sumptuous image of his metal slicing effortlessly through her neck muscles was driving him to deal the final swipe. He was marked for executioner, and he didn't want to let down the woodland audience. The warrior could see the princess' head toppling from her neck and onto the soft earth with peaceful thud. Her final gasp echoed through his mind, and it aroused him both physically and mentally. Ryo had never wanted anything so bad as he wanted to take the life of the innocent maiden kneeling helplessly before him.

As he was about to decapitate her, Kinuyo remained utterly calm, her normally expressive face lying placid. She stared, her aqua eyes penetrating his very soul, and he almost felt as though she tugged or even _bit_ it. No tears welled in those blue lanterns; no frown marked her countenance. The princess, kneeling casually in the grass, seemed not to stiffen in the slightest, despite the threat of death. "Ryo," she whispered, "why are you doing this? What's become of you?" The first sniffle was heard, but amazingly the lady refrained from crying. "What did I do? Oh god, I'm sorry if I offended you. Here," she said, offering a scrap of her of her royal blue gown. "Take this and dry off. Truly, I apologize. Forgive me."

For a moment Ryo debated with himself about whether or not to kill her. But she seemed so innocent and seriously worried if his feelings were hurt. She simply kneeled there, handing part of her dress to him as a peace offering. And those eyes wouldn't lie to him. There was sorrow and regret there. His sword started to waver, and Kinuyo breathed a sigh of relief. 

Immediately the katana shot back into position, terrifying and demanding as ever. "I don't think so, hell beast! Another trick, yeah? Well, I'm not falling for any more of your ruses, not this guy. Time to die. I shall put you where you belong!" Ryo drew back slightly for more power, and then thrust; however, he stopped at the last second. 

__

Why? Why did I stop? Sweat poured down his face, soaking his collar of his armor. _Kill her or she'll kill you!_ Ryo's breath came in strained gasps, begging him to ease up. His muscles burned with fire, but he was frozen in that pose and couldn't move even though he wanted to. _Drive it into her! Slice her open! Do it, fool, before it's too late!_ The warrior stared on at his victim while she stared right back. Ryo could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes for reasons he didn't understand. They seared his skin with their raging heat and streaked his armor with their glistening bodies. _Do it…_ Kinuyo smiled reassuringly, and to Ryo it seemed like a smart aleck thing to do. Hesitantly he drew back.

Instantly, Kinuyo reached for her throat, which moments ago had nearly been severed from her head, and began crying horrendously. "Ooh!" she steamed. "You big jerk!" She lunged for him, banging her fists on his superior armor. "How dare you! How _dare_ you assault a princess!"

With a muffled clatter the Wildfire katana hit the ground, the winking metal begging and pleading with Ryo to execute the rogue demoness. He turned his scarlet face away from it and began to weep. The warrior's own shaking hands wiped his eyes as he tumbled down into the grass in a trembling heap. "What the hell is wrong with me?" Ryo's voice broke with sobs. His mind was trapped on a runaway roller coaster of emotions with nowhere to get off. Up and down, and up and down with a loop-de-loop. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Rising from her sitting position, Kinuyo sidled over to the warrior's side, resting her ice-cold hands upon his heaving shoulders. Her fingers slipped into the locks of his hair to soothe them back, as she let a comforting, silencing hiss slip from her lips and into his ear. "Don't apologize, not yet. It isn't your fault, brave warrior. It's these damn woods; they affect your mind after a prolonged period of time. The same thing happened to me, Ryo, but if you survive the breakdown, you'll be all right—as good as new, in fact." Kinuyo gingerly lifted the Ronin's chin so his glazed-over eyes met hers, their emptiness guzzling down the light and beauty with a voracious hunger. "Look at me, Ryo, here, in my eyes. I'm here; I'm okay; I survived and so will you if you try. Just pull yourself together. Come back to me and your friends—those who rely on your help."

The animation returned to Ryo's eyes, but not without being accompanied by a dark entity that swirled menacingly in the depth of his eyes. Their souls met in each other's gaze, mingling and flirting like life and death. Grabbing his head with pain, the Ronin blinked and inquired, "What happened to me, Princess Kinuyo? I used to be a heroic warrior, able to face down any opponent or evil without thinking twice. I was brave; I was their leader, for Christ's sakes! I led the troop into battles against the king of all evil. And now—_now_—here I sit, a quivering little infant, whining for my mommy. Look what everyone's relying on! Fools. I mean, look at me. I can't even complete one simple quest."

"You have time; we're not off schedule yet—"

Ryo butted in, uncaring if she were finished or not. "What happened to the valor, the respect that came with every battle I fought? I said look at me, Kinuyo!" the warrior demanded desperately, grasping her slender wrists and wrenching her dangerously close to him. His fevered exhalations crashed upon Kinuyo's face like waves upon the jagged shoreline. "What's become of this 'brave warrior'?"

"You're just as brave and honorable as ever, Ryo," she whispered fearfully.

"Do you mock me?" he raged, twisting the lady's wrist painfully.

She whined without shame, "Na, no, Ryo. I only speak the truth. Ow! Ow!" Finally, he relented, letting Kinuyo's hands fall limply to her sides. She mumbled pained sounds as she massaged the sore skin.

Ryo burst into tears again, covering his face from view by burying it in the swaying grasses. "I'm sorry! God, what has happened?" His sobs continued for a while before his face shot up from the camouflage, a deadly serious mask donned. "You should run away before… before it's too late. I'll only get you killed, princess." His sad eyes turned back to the earth, and he folded over again.

"Oh no," Kinuyo said, draping herself over the Ronin's hunched back, "oh no, no, no! I'd still be stuck in that dreadful darkness without you. If you give up now, I'll never get to see my father again…" She paused poignantly then whispered into his ear. "And your friend will die. Is that what you want? Do you want to let him down and the rest of your warband as well?"

Ryo's head shot up, fear resonating in his voice. "Rowen… I promised I wouldn't let him down; I promised the others I'd come back. But how can I disgrace myself like this? They'll never accept me. They'll never forgive me." His head bowed again as he fought back the newest onslaught of tears. 

Kinuyo placed a chilling hand on Ryo's own, her fingers intertwining with his. A shiver wiggled its way through his veins, creepy and at the same time pleasant. "Ryo…" she cooed, as the princess pressed her cheek against his, strangely hot with embarrassment at her audacity despite her cold body. "Please… Don't let everyone down. Don't let me down." She nuzzled up against him, as she was overcome now by her own emotions. 

Slowly the Ronin rose to a kneeling position, pushing Kinuyo off of and away from him. "Your highness, look, I have someone back home," he whispered softly, "whom I love very much. She's probably waiting for me."

Although Ryo assumed she'd take it as bad news, instead she smiled quite brilliantly, as though she were thinking, "My plan worked." Her eyes sparkled a little in the afternoon sun, miniature blue prisms that captivated and bedazzled. "She is, I'm sure. And now that you have that to think on, you'll hopefully reconsider this foolish notion of giving up. Besides, I'm sure as hell not staying in this ever so creepy forest for a minute longer. With that in mind, let's get out of here. Don't keep her waiting." Kinuyo offered her hand to Ryo and assisted him to his feet. 

He nodded. "I suppose you're right. Come on. We haven't much farther to go." After dusting himself off, Ryo tugged on Kinuyo's hand, and the pair followed the winding path of the brook. 

Several minutes had elapsed before either one of them had even glanced at the other. There was a surreal silence about the field, until Ryo heard the giggles. He turned to his partner, but Kinuyo seemed oblivious, perfectly happy to simply stare into the gushing water at the frolicking sylphs. Okay, so where were those laughs originating? Scanning the terrain with his sharp eyes, the warrior noticed nothing of importance; nothing but sweeping grass, babbling creeks and shivering trees. 

Suddenly the chuckling was in Ryo's ear. "You must be a clown, no?" it chirped.

A rush of wind tickled his ear, accompanied by the bizarre noise of paper rustling in the wind. "No, no, Arzula, you maroon. It's a warrior. Big scaries in the human realm, so I hear."

"And what would you know? Anytime I listen to you, Simarik, I get thrown off track. And you wonder why no one believes anything you say anymore."

The young man's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "What's wrong, Ryo?" Kinuyo asked with concern when she took notice of his expression.

"Oh, so his name is Ryo, huh?" the voice named Simarik mocked. "What a stupid, silly human name! Can you believe it? Ryo, Ryo, Ryo, Ryo!" it chanted relentlessly.

"Knock it off, Simarik! You're annoying even me." Ryo heard the distinctive sound of someone sticking out her tongue, and then the prompt, defined sound of a smack. He grinned with amusement even though he could see nothing of the spectacle.

"What are you smiling at, silly warrior?" Kinuyo persisted urgently. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I told you, I told you!" Simarik screeched. "Ryo is a warrior!"

"Oh, shut up. He's listening, you know? Aren't you, Ryo?" Arzula inquired, pinching his earlobe so his jaw dropped with surprise.

Just then, the princess took hold of the Ronin's shoulders and shook. "Snap out of it, Ryo! You can't slip back into this state, not when we're so close to Faerie Heath!"

Two short gasps echoed in Ryo's ears, and the rustling sound increased tenfold. The sudden silence over his right shoulder left him a little anxious. Abruptly, in a deep, nearly masculine voice, Arzula spoke. "Who are you, Ryo the warrior?"

He cleared his throat, and although he stared at Kinuyo he spoke to the voice in his right ear. "Exactly that. I am Ryo the warrior." The princess before him seemed utterly confused and equally oblivious.

"What kind of response was that?" her highness asked.

"And why are you here with this Remora Spirit? What is it you want with the Faerie Heath?"

"Slow down, Arzula," Ryo ordered, waving his hands in front of him, startling Kinuyo. "I can only answer one question at a time. Now what in the world is a Remora Spirit?"

Simarik snapped, "Answer ours and we'll answer yours. First, tell us why you are here to begin with, and why you seek the Faerie Heath, realm of the Moonlighter Faeries?"

Pondering this for a moment in order to determine how to answer the two voices, he began, "I came to beseech the empress of all faeries for her help. One of my fellow warriors, Rowen of the Strata, has fallen into the talons of an unknown enemy. He has stolen Rowen's soul, and now Rowen lays in the deepest state of unconsciousness, unable to speak with his friends.

"My sorceress, Lady Kayura, sent me on a quest through the rugged woodland of Fantasia Forest in order that I may bring back the cure for Rowen. I've been wandering for nearly two days now, and every sort of monster you could think possible has attacked me. I've had nothing to eat in the past day, as savage goblins have devoured my ration pack. Please, I beg of you two, I need to make my way to the Heath and kneel before her highness, the great Empress Haleigha, before it is too late for Rowen. Allow me passage." He stared straight at Kinuyo, although he looked not at her but through her.

There was a silence as the two voices obviously mulled over his veracity. "And what of the spirit?" Simarik barked. "Where does she fit into all of this?"

"What spirit do you speak of?"

"Do you take us as fools, Ryo the warrior?" Arzula growled angrily. "The one right before you, of course!"

The world seemed to slow to a halt. So that was it, huh? Kinuyo was a spirit, a dead princess, a lost soul. That explained nearly everything. That's why the thargon completely ignored her and went after him instead. That's why she was so cold. And that was why Ryo found her so odd. "You're not even alive! You didn't tell me? Kinuyo, after all we've been through! How could you lie?"

"But I don't know what you're talking about, Ryo. I haven't lied to you. Where is all this coming from and what the hell do you mean I'm not alive? Touch my skin, Ryo. Feel it. I'm real." Kinuyo thrust her hand out in front of her, diving for his cheek. "I am alive!" Her icy fingers brushed his unshaven face and caressed his cheek. "Real…" 

Their eyes met, and Ryo realized why he felt as though he were looking into her soul: not because he was connecting on a deep level with her, but rather because she _was_ a lost soul. "She doesn't know," Ryo whispered to the disembodied voices. He rubbed against her hand, almost on the verge of tears. Slowly he brought his lips to the meat of Kinuyo's palm and kissed it. "I'm sorry," he said to her. "You didn't know. What an awful way to find such a thing out. And I'm the one to tell you."

She stared perplexedly at him. "What are you talking about?" Kinuyo asked as she withdrew her hand fearfully. "I don't understand."

Ryo kept gazing into her amazing cerulean eyes, unblinking and unwavering. He kneeled before her to speak in the softest of voices, "Princess Kinuyo, you're dead. You died a long time ago."

"No…" she muttered as she slinked backwards.

"Princess, what year is it?"

Suddenly afraid to answer, she pondered over her answer, hoping to get it right. With her voice trembling, she said, "1218?"

"Try 1993."

Her breath caught in her throat. Everything in the last 770 plus years was thrown into question for the young-looking princess. She concentrated on her hand held out before her. Kinuyo thought at times she could see through it, like the specters that Father had always told her haunted the palace. She had never believed. "It can't be… It can't be! You're the liar, Ryo!" Hot tears flung from her cold face. "I'm alive! I am! I am! How else can my experiences be explained? Huh? How else? I live and breathe before you. It can't be…" 

It was Kinuyo's turn to break down. She tumbled to the grass, still gazing at her pale hands as salty water ran down her stunning face. Her body shook with rage and sadness and fear all at the same time. The world seemed to have been thrust into darkness as a cloud passed over the sun, and the princess shivered all the harder. The sweeping grass turned into a billion knives that sliced up and down her skin. The babbling creeks spat sinful words at her with their watery voices. The shivering trees motioned angry gestures with their bony limbs.

"Never seen a spirit do that before," Simarik mentioned to Arzula. "Kinda unexpected. Ghosts crying, eh? What next? A friendly thargon?"

"What the hell would you do if you found out you died 700 years ago?" Ryo growled viciously as he swatted at the air. "Now get out of my way! I have a friend who needs me!" The Ronin raced to the shaking side of the princess, wrapping an arm around her and muttering comforting words into her ear. 

After a few moments had passed, she turned her red face fresh with a thousand cascading tears and smiled. "We're never going to get there, are we?" She sniffled and let loose a wet laugh, forced yet comforting for both of them to hear.

Ryo embraced Kinuyo with all of his heart. They'd been through so much together in just a short stint of time. "Oh, Ryo," she sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm alive."

He massaged her back as he whispered into her ear, "Yes, you're alive. You are alive to me, Princess, no matter what anyone says."

A few more sobs onto his armor and Kinuyo looked up at him with a glistening face, vibrant with ironic life. "Ryo, what am I?"

"A princess, why of course."

Her face went whiter than usual as she became deadly serious. "I mean it, Ryo. I need to know. What am I? A ghost? A fetch? What, I have to know."

"But I thought that—"

"I'll deal with the shock later. I need to know this before we continue on. I'll have plenty of years to cry over this, but you've got a friend in trouble, so give me the shortened version." Everything had changed with the thump of the heartbeat. Her posture was that of a true princess' and her sternness, that of only a ruler, hardened her face until she got her way.

"Kinuyo, you clever girl," Ryo muttered under his breath. 

The Ronin felt the wind by his ear, and he knew in an instant that the faerie was back. "I can answer her question," Simarik offered. "She is a Remora Spirit, a type of creature similar to that of a fetch, only difference really is that she is a ghost—dead."

Still the young warrior looked perplexed. "What's a fetch?"

"Do you know anything at all, human?" and Ryo felt a tapping on his temple as though Simarik meant to rattle around his brains a little. "A fetch is a being that latches on to a familiar person and can appear to that person at any time. But I guess a Remora is still a bit different in that once it attaches to one person, it can't be separated from him. You see, it can be in either your world or it can teleport to the spirit plane above. But no matter what, it can only appear on the terra realm within the same room as its human. Kinda complicated, but, hey, that's us mythical creatures!" 

After Ryo had digested all of the information, he relayed the news to the princess, who merely sat staring at him with the same resolute face she had worn the whole time. She trembled a little with fear or disgust, he couldn't tell, but she didn't look too well. "Princess?"

"Just give me a few more seconds and we can go." Kinuyo finished drying her eyes and straightening her clothes then nodded approvingly at her companion.

A pinch of the Ronin's nose gave him a scare. "Oh no you don't, warrior!" Arzula warned. "You didn't tell us why she is here! You shall go no further until I know about her."

"Very well. We met in the woods some hours ago, and I can't get rid of her (gee, I wonder why now), so she's helping me complete my quest. Happy?"

"Hardly," the faerie replied rather bitterly.

"Well that will have to do because the pair of us are going to the Heath with or without your guidance and approval. I have lives at stake here, and I will not be stopped by a couple of grumpy faeries." He stared off into empty space, but he got the unique feeling that he was looking right at Arzula.

Kinuyo shot up from the ground and threw her hands in the air angrily. "So, those ever so rotten faeries are behind all of this! Well, now it all makes perfect sense. 

"You stinking faeries! Too scared to show yourselves? Well I'm not running like my country's warriors. You don't scare the Princess Kinuyo that easily!" The young woman spun in wild circles, searching for the invisible sprites. She wore a scowl and had a nasty gleam to her eyes. "Curse you all to the ends of the Earth!"

Although she could not hear their speech, the distinct sound of giggling echoed bitterly in her brain. Two choruses of laughter filled the air and the sound even creeped Ryo out. "So, this is our dear Princess Kinuyo? We had almost forgotten about her. After all, she disappeared for months and was presumed dead," Arzula cackled with frightening glee. 

Simarik's voice split with joy. "I'll bet she doesn't even know what happened to her kingdom after she ran away!"

Ryo grabbed his ears. "Stop! Stop it the both of you! I don't want to hear. I don't want to hear!"

"Oh, but you must," Simarik insisted.

"No," the warrior ordered. "No more discussion. Come on, Princess. Let's go." He grabbed his partner's wrist and they stormed through the meadow together, leaving nothing but swirling grass in their wake. Ryo practically dragged the lady across the ground, as she stumbled her way behind him while trying not to fall on her face. Every so often, he would yank her hand hard enough to bring her to his side only for her to fall back again.

"Ryo, please, this hurts ever so badly. Can't we slow down for a minute?" she pleaded wearily, bumbling over every root mound of stiff grass.

He sighed. "I guess so. But then we pick up the pace again."

"What did those no good faeries have to say to you that made you this way?" The softly glowing lanterns in her head implored with a tremor of fear flickering in their depths. Staring into them made everything he had to say so much harder for some reason.

"I left before I could find out, but I'm sure it wasn't for a lady such as yourself to hear." Though she made a sarcastic face, a short stint of silence ensued as the two reached the entrance to what had to be the Faerie Heath. 

A gentle milky mist emanated from the high weeds and squat trees to enfold the handsome pair in its ethereal arms. Though it was daytime, the Heath seemed dark with danger and mysticism. _Oh boy_, thought Ryo, _more fun adventures for the two of us_. The Heath was ripe with smells too, ranging from the soft aroma of pine to the gut-twisting stench of death; Ryo was unsure of whether to smile or gag. Cattails and tall grass jutted viciously out of the swampy earth, a gray green and brown that muddled the scenery into one sloppy mess. The limpid stream that had so far lined the edge of the vale abruptly transformed into a muddy trickle of water at the mouth of the swamp. And once again Fantasia Forest fell into silence as the pair approached cautiously, the two invisible faeries hanging yet again by the warrior's ear.

"We simply can't let you enter," Arzula insisted, pinching his lobe. 

"Oh," Simarik chimed in, "we cannot, no, will not let you proceed any further. Besides, your efforts to reach the gates would be futile. You can't see them without our permission."

With a heavy sigh, Ryo tilted his head toward the voices to sound more interested. "And how does one get such permission from you?"

"One must demonstrate need and selfless purpose," Arzula answered.

"Isn't saving a friend's life a good enough purpose, especially if it means saving others' lives as well? I think that demonstrates a pretty damn good need, too."

There was a soft murmuring between the two voices as the faeries debated the issue. A couple of times the argument grew heated, the gentle rumble of voices raising to an audible level, only to fall back to the sound of whistling wind. Arzula spoke again. "Tis true, Ryo the Warrior, that you have demonstrated the strength of your heart and spirit by braving the wild forest. Also, you must be master swordsman to get past the trials of the native beasts here, and from the dulled edge on your sword, I assume you killed a goblin? Their slightly acidic blood will do that to metal, worse to the skin. But can you prove that you are here for the purpose you say you are? How do we faeries know that a sorceress did not send you here to retrieve a pair of our wings? Prove this is not so, and we shall grant you your wish to enter."

For a moment, the Ronin mused over how to confirm he was sent here on behalf of Rowen's life. But how? They would not likely trust his words since they hadn't thus far, and they seemed very protective of their empire. And suddenly it dawned on him. Surely they would listen… "The Ancients sent me." 

Kayura's last bit of information on the faeries told him that the faerie race was tied inexplicably to the Ancient clan. They had a bond that was rooted in the olden times, probably predating the age of even the rule of Kinuyo's family. No one could even remember why such a tie existed between one clan of humans and a race of mythical creatures such as these elusive Moonlighter Faeries. 

Further crediting Ryo was the fact that Ancients never trusted anyone but the truehearted to do their sacred work. Now Arzula and Simarik would have to let him pass. 

He heard a slight gasp from Simarik before Arzula responded to his announcement. "Very well. You may enter under two conditions. First, you must send your Remora Spirit to the ethereal plane to wait for your successful return. Second, you must agree to be blinded while another faerie leads you to the gates. Comply with both demands and you can freely enter. We can do nothing but oblige, but not at all happily. Refuse, and you will leave the forest now."

Ryo turned toward Kinuyo and took her chilling hands in his, stroking the flawless skin on the back. His eyes stared deep into hers, capturing her full attention. "Princess, you're going to have to try something you've probably never done before. You're going to have to transfer up to the spirit plane. Do you know how to do that?" She shook her head, a tear dripping from her sad eyes. "Now look, it shouldn't be too hard. Just maybe concentrate on your inner self—"

"But my inner self is now my whole self. I'm dead, remember? A ghost. A spirit unto this living Earth."

He squeezed her hands lightly. "Princess, in order for me to save my friend—remember Rowen—you have to agree to hang out on the spirit plane for a little while. Then when I call you back down, you can return to me and we'll get out of here." Ryo glanced back into the air. "Can I do that? Call her back down?"

Simarik answered, "Of course you can. All you gotta do is think the thought, and she'll get the message. But I don't know why she'd come back to such a… a… human face!"

Ignoring the bratty faerie, the warrior returned to Kinuyo. "Just wait for me to call. That's all you need to do. You can take this time to explore, okay? Maybe take a look around the realm and see what there is to see. You never know, maybe you'll meet some spirits like you." Ryo heard a laugh from Simarik abruptly stifled by Arzula. Slowly the Ronin let go of Kinuyo's hands and stepped back. She lurched for him to embrace him, but stopped herself short and reminded herself that she couldn't always be attached to him like a lapdog. Nodding, the princess closed her eyes, and gradually her pale color began to fade to a translucent white and then into nothingness. Ryo believed he would never forget the terrified countenance plastered on his princess' face as long as he lived. She looked hopeless, horrified and lost all at once.

"Fine, part one is done. Are you happy yet?" he inquired. 

"A human could never make me happy," Simarik spat rather nastily.

A sharp slap sound was heard and then Arzula's voice. "That will do just fine, yes. Now for the second half. You are willing to be blinded temporarily?"

"Anything, just let's do it quickly."

"Very well." With a snap of her fingers, Ryo heard yet another strange sound. In the distance it sounded like a humming, but as it got closer, the distinct whizzing of wings filled the air. Another faerie…

"Ooh!" an impish voice cooed excitedly. "It's so cute! Is this a human?" Ryo felt tiny fingers poking at his cheeks eagerly. The sickening image of the goblins touching him popped into his mind, and he violently brushed the faerie away. "I've never seen one of these before. Oh my! Well, what did you summon me for, Mistress Arzula?"

Evidently Arzula had expected such a reaction from the young faerie, and she sighed with mild frustration. "I need your services, Kiz. Blind the human here, then lead him to the gates. Once you get there, leave the human waiting at the gates and wait for Simarik to show up to usher him in. Then you can go about your daily business. That's all you're required to do. Do you understand, Kiz?"

Ryo heard a quick, quiet yes and then nothing at all. As he surveyed the area, he got the distinct feeling that he was being gawked at by several different entities. No, scrutinized was more the word he was looking for. Every inch of him felt exposed as the eyes scanned and analyzed his human form. He felt foreign in this magical realm. He wanted nothing more than to get home to Mia and Rowen and the rest of the Ronin Warriors. Hopefully by now Kayura and Anubis had some answers.

"Ready, human?" Kiz inquired excitedly.

"I guess as I'll ever be," he mumbled reluctantly. But now was no time to back out.

"I promise you won't feel any pain. I promise. Back off, ladies, and give me room to work!" The light buzz of her wings possessed the air as no silence could. To Ryo the sound was as sweet as honey, dripping into his ears and softening all other noises with its beauty. The palette of colors in the world around him melted into a revolting oil painting on the Heath's dark canvas. Ryo watched in awe as the brownish hues oozed into one another, and the resulting wooziness he felt from watching the show made him unsteady on his feet. "Close your eyes, human," Kiz urged, taking two tiny fingers and closing his lids tight. The warrior was all too willing to comply; anything to get rid of the swirling sickness. Joining the flutter of the faerie's wings was an enchanting melody, a bewitching song that relaxed Ryo's nerves like a drug. 

Suddenly, the song concluded and Ryo felt an emptiness in the pit of his stomach that morphed into a sickeningly swell that rolled from his feet to his head. His eyes shot open to search for the sugary song—some relief to the bitter taste in his mouth—but to his amazement he could see nothing of the world he once knew. It was black—like endless night—as dark as Talpa's soul. 

For a brief moment the Ronin thought he saw the glint of blue hair up ahead, the only splinter of color in the darkness. "Rowen?" Wildfire called out. As the blackness expanded, it seemed that the blue drifted closer, and sure enough, slouched on the ground in a pitiful heap was Rowen. Blood pooled on the darkness before him, and crystalline tears dripped slowly from his eyes into the sanguine liquid. One eye was swollen shut, and repulsive welts snaked up and down his chest and back, shreds of his shirt clinging to his skin with dried blood. Rowen's face was almost entirely shadowed except for his bruised lips, which moved monotonously as the Ronin uttered one word that never came out. Even scarier was the way that they worked—like they were machine-controlled—as though there were little or no feeling left inside Rowen. Drips of blood, like bricks in the sidewalk, created a gory trail to the hunched shell of a body Ryo once knew as a feisty warrior.

Ryo lunged for his comrade, but to his dismay he couldn't move. His joints were locked in position and his feet were frozen to the floor. His wide eyes stared with shock at his revelation, and he attempted to cry out, but even his mouth betrayed him. Sealed with wicked glue, his lips could not even part to form a word. 

Amazingly, as though it took all his strength to do it, Rowen lifted his head to see his fellow Ronin standing mortified before him. "R… Ryo?" the young man implored hesitantly. His back heaved with his excited breaths. A twinkle of delight at his savior lighted his one good eye. "Is that really you?"

Although he wanted to confirm the question, not one muscle would move an inch to even blink his eyes. Ryo clung to the hope that Rowen would still know it was he and not some deception by whomever was holding him captive.

"Ryo?" Strata asked with curiosity in his voice. "Man, is that you?" The joy left his eyes only to be filled with despair and hatred. "Morin! Morin, you bitch, how could you do this to me? Goddammit! Stop taunting me! I'll never tell you what you want to know, so give it up!"

Ryo tried to look perplexed, but he wasn't even sure he could convey any emotions in his state. The fact that Rowen bored into him with such a foreign vehemence only proved that thought. How badly Wildfire wanted nothing more than to reach out to his friend and tear him away from this awful torture, but he simply couldn't move or even speak. Why?

Abruptly Rowen jerked his head around at a sound Ryo could not hear. Then he glanced back at Wildfire and seemed to come to the realization that Ryo was not just a figment of his imagination but the real thing, his friend. A cold tremor of terror or maybe pain shot through the bound warrior and he stared sharply at Ryo, pleading with his eyes, "Get away from here now!"

Unknowingly, the red Ronin was jettisoned back onto a different plane of inkier blackness. Though nothing but darkness possessed him, Ryo knew this was someplace new, lacking the danger of before. He felt his voice fill his throat and sweet sound came out of his mouth. Ryo grabbed his neck and sighed of relief. "Thank god. What the hell just happened to me, Kiz?" No response. "Arzula? Simarik? Anybody?" 

Arzula spoke shakily. "I don't… We don't know. One moment you're shouting the word 'Rowen!' over and over, and the next you're failing like leaf in the breeze. You kept mumbling about how you couldn't move, but you were spiraling all around the Heath. And what does this word Rowen even mean?"

"We thought it was a bad word in your language," Kiz added with a blush in her voice.

"Correction," Simarik snarled smartly, "only Kiz thought that."

A breathless laugh escaped Ryo. "It's a human name like mine. For example, Ryo, Rowen and Sage are all names in the human world just like Kiz, Arzula and Simarik."

"Hey! How come my name was last?" the spoiled faerie snapped.

Ignoring Simarik, Ryo gave himself a moment to adjust to his new ebony realm then asked, "Kiz, what happens when you cast this spell, hm? I am I really blind or am I on some plane like the spiritual one?"

"Well, I don't really know all that well what the dynamics of the spell are; however, I do know for sure that in order to get to the level of blindness that I place you in, you have to descend through three planes: the spiritual, which you hardly even experience; the undead (where the souls go on their way to Hell), which you pass right through too; and then the last one, which rarely people see at all. Sometimes I don't even think they slip through it because they never mention anything about it. Come to think of it, I'm not sure what it's even called. Anyway, finally you end up in this 'dark world,' if you will, which is merely blackness. That's all I know." She sighed ponderously. "Why do you ask?"

"Somewhere along the way I got stuck in the folds of the planes, and I ended up in the last one. I saw Rowen there, my dying friend. But in that world I couldn't talk or move or barely even breathe."

Ryo was relatively sure Arzula was raising an eyebrow from the disbelieving growl he heard issued in her throat. After a smack of her tiny lips, she announced, "Kinda far-fetched to me. Then again, I've never taken that journey into blindness, so I guess I wouldn't know. But, if Kiz believes you, human, I'll have to at least try to. Now, you two should get a move on. The day is already starting to wan, and you should try and reach the gates before mid afternoon, that is if you want to get out of the forest before nightfall." When all that was agreed upon, Kiz took Ryo by the hand and lead him like a seeing-eye dog through the Heath.

@~~`~~~

After returning to her conjuring room, Morin sat exasperatedly in her chair, letting her beautiful charcoal robe billow around her as she slouched down with a sigh. What a day it had been.

Dragged from her room to check on a screaming Rowen, she found him only to be rocking himself back and forth and ranting about his friend Ryo. When she looked around, the Lady found nothing, not even a trace of foreign aura. Then what the hell had he been raving about? Maybe she had finally broken him, snapped his mind. But in so short time? Where was the fun in that? 

Brushing a hand through her silky hair, the sorceress searched the room for a bit of crow's beak cream. The damn voice was in her head again and it wouldn't shut up. The host was beginning to grow an attitude after all these thousands of years, and it was pissing Morin off. Headaches were common and so was the muscle cramping. Occasionally even her limbs would move involuntarily. If this hadn't been the last Dualar in existence, she would have abandoned the body long ago. Luckily, she was a highly skilled sorceress, and for the time being, appropriately applied crow's beak cream would keep the unwanted voice out of her head.

Taking a scoop of black salve out of a jar, Morin put a dab on the tip of each middle finger to draw a line under each eye and put one dot on her forehead and one on her chin. She then stared into a mirror, concentrating only on those marks. Gradually, the harsh words echoing in the back of her mind faded until they sounded more like whimpers. The sorceress smiled delightedly.

Back in her chair she rolled her shoulders as she yawned. Trying to figure out the mystery of the Celestial Warrior was starting to wear her out. Her eyes ached just as much as her head, but with the casting of a quick spell she felt back to normal. Now, she could think a little more on Rowen. 

His outburst yesterday and the one today had been particularly violent. His tone, his countenance, everything about him was filled with hatred, and somehow it was familiar. Though she hadn't been able to put her finger on it earlier, the Lady had definitely recognized his aura now. It had glowed scarlet with his growing rage, like the aura of one specific man she had the misfortune of knowing: Lord Talpa. 

When Talpa had finally come for Lord Yusaki, his vermilion aura had nearly encapsulated them all. Revenge, fueled by his rage, had driven him into the Palace that fateful morning, slicing away highly-trained guards as though they were mere paper dolls. As he stood incensed before the throne, flames of hatred sprouting from the negative energy encompassing him, he withdrew the black sphere from his cape, narrowed his eyes and called forth the spirit of his mentor Lord Osumi. Morin remembered vividly how the room had swirled like a snow globe, only she, Rantach and Talpa remaining stationary. He chanted wildly some prehistoric language, his red aura only deepening to a blood color before she felt the pull into the sphere. The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a deteriorating castle-like structure within the damn black ball with the knowledge of her master's horrible destruction and descent into Hell. But all Morin could see when she closed her eyes was fire of Talpa's aura. 

And now it was in the Celestial Warrior. How it manifested itself there, she didn't know and she doubted she cared; however, it presented a problem. Talpa had destroyed them with that rage, and now it was in her newest enemy. She needed information from that boy as soon as possible, before the latent power had time to fully take him over or his friends could rescue him.

Lady Morin would begin immediately…

Right after lunch.


End file.
